Relationship between dental caries status and anemia in children with severe early childhood caries

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Ru-Shing Tang1, Meng-Chuan Huang, Shun-Te Huang

  • 1School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
|May 21, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Severe early childhood caries (SECC) is linked to malnutrition in young children. This study found SECC significantly increases the risk of anemia, highlighting the need for integrated oral and nutritional care.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Child Health

Background:

  • Severe early childhood caries (SECC) presents a significant public health challenge in preschool populations.
  • Malnutrition is frequently observed in children diagnosed with SECC.
  • Understanding the nutritional status of children with SECC is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nutritional status of preschool children diagnosed with severe early childhood caries (SECC).
  • To determine the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in children with SECC.
  • To analyze the association between SECC and nutritional deficiencies.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted with 101 children aged 2-5 years diagnosed with SECC.
  • Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric measurements and clinical evaluations.
  • Data analysis included multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship between caries and anemia.

Main Results:

  • 9% of children with SECC were diagnosed with anemia, and 46% were iron deficient.
  • 30% of children with SECC were classified as underweight based on national BMI standards.
  • SECC showed a strong association with anemia (odds ratio 7.25).

Conclusions:

  • Severe early childhood caries is significantly associated with an increased risk of anemia in preschool children.
  • The findings underscore the importance of addressing both oral hygiene and nutritional status in children with SECC.
  • Integrated treatment approaches by clinicians and dentists are recommended to improve overall child health.

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