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Early Childhood Caries and Nutritional Status of Children: A Review

Harshani Nadeeshani1, Sanath Thushara Kudagammana2, Chandra Herath3

  • 1Division of Nutritional Biochemistry, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Food and Nutrition Bulletin
|December 14, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a global health problem. Research shows links between ECC and poor nutritional status, but more studies are needed to confirm the cause-and-effect relationship.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant global public health concern.
  • ECC can lead to severe health issues, including growth retardation, pain, and impaired eating.
  • These complications negatively impact a child's overall well-being and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current evidence on the relationship between ECC and nutritional status.
  • To explore how nutritional status affects ECC and vice versa.
  • To identify areas for future research in this field.

Main Methods:

  • A narrative review of studies published between 2016 and 2022.
  • Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
  • 47 peer-reviewed articles were selected after excluding non-peer-reviewed sources.

Main Results:

  • Frequent consumption of sugary foods/drinks and prolonged bottle/breastfeeding are identified risk factors for ECC.
  • Adverse nutritional status, including vitamin D deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia, are associated with ECC.
  • Existing research primarily consists of cross-sectional and case-control studies.

Conclusions:

  • Current study designs limit the ability to establish a definitive causal link between ECC and nutritional status.
  • Further prospective research is essential to clarify the bidirectional association.
  • Understanding this relationship is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Abstract

Keywords:
25-hydroxyvitamin Danthropometrybreastfeedingearly childhood cariesiron-deficiency anemianutritional status

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