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Gingivitis in children with malnutrition

R G Abrams1, E Romberg

  • 1Pediatric Denstistry Department, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Dental School, University of Maryland, 21201-1586, USA.

The Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry
|February 25, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Malnutrition did not significantly impact plaque and gingivitis levels in children aged 4-7 years. All children exhibited 100% prevalence, with no major differences between well-nourished and malnourished groups.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Nutritional Science
  • Oral Health Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood malnutrition is a global health concern, potentially affecting oral health.
  • Gingivitis and plaque are common indicators of oral hygiene and overall health in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the prevalence and severity of gingivitis and plaque in well-nourished versus malnourished children.
  • To assess oral health status in children aged 4 to 7 years based on nutritional status.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed 291 children (4-7 years) categorized as well-nourished or malnourished using National Center for Health Statistics criteria.
  • Evaluated plaque and gingivitis severity using the Plaque Index (PlI) and Modified Gingival Index (MGI) on primary teeth.

Main Results:

  • 100% prevalence of both plaque and gingivitis was observed in all children studied.
  • No statistically significant differences in PlI or MGI were found between well-nourished and malnourished groups.
  • Gender did not show a significant impact on plaque or gingivitis levels.

Conclusions:

  • Nutritional status, as defined by height-for-age, did not significantly influence the high prevalence of plaque and gingivitis in this cohort.
  • A slight trend suggested potentially lower plaque and gingivitis in better-nourished children, warranting further investigation.

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