Early Childhood Oral Health and Nutrition in Urban and Rural Nepal

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Globalization and urbanization in Nepal are shifting diets towards ultra-processed, sugary foods.
• This transition impacts maternal and child nutrition and oral health outcomes.
• Understanding these changes is vital for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the nutrition and oral health status of children (6 months–6 years) and their families in Nepal.
• To investigate the relationship between dietary habits, access to processed foods, and dental caries.
• To identify disparities in oral health between rural and urban children.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 836 mother-child pairs in Nepal.
• Maternal interviews on oral health and nutrition practices.
• Clinical dental examinations and anthropometric measurements (height, weight) for children.
• Statistical analysis using SPSS software.

Main Results:

• High prevalence of dental caries (58.2% overall, increasing to 74.3% by age 6).
• Frequent daily consumption of sweets by children, despite maternal awareness of risks.
• Urban children showed higher caries prevalence and severity linked to greater junk food access and consumption.
• Severe caries was associated with malnutrition, particularly in rural children.

Conclusions:

• Childhood dental caries and malnutrition are significant public health issues in Nepal, exacerbated by dietary shifts.
• Targeted preventive strategies are needed, integrating oral health and nutrition education into maternal-child health services.
• Policy interventions, such as restricting junk food sales near schools, are recommended.