Relationship between dental caries and nutritional status among five-year-old school children in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

Dental caries is a major public health problem affecting 60- 90% children globally and associated with diet and nutrition. Objective: To establish the relationship between dental caries and nutritional status of 5-year-old school children in urban and rural areas of Uasin-Gishu County. Study group: A cross sectional survey was used to select 382 five-year-old children and their parents/caregivers from urban and rural schools in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya. Methods: Dental caries status was assessed based on WHO criteria for oral health surveys. Anthropometric measurements were used to assess the nutritional status of the children and analyzed using ENA for SMART computer programmes. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between nutritional status and dft. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of dental caries among the children was 39.3% (dft = 1.55). Overweight was higher urban area compared to the rural at 13.6% and 8.9% respectively, while underweight was higher in rural areas at 10.7%. In both rural and urban sample (n = 384), underweight (r = 0.67; p = 0.047), overweight (r = 0.83; p = 0.012), obesity (r = 0.53; p = 0.031) and wasting (r = 0.16; p = 0.041) had a significant relationship with dft (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Programs targeting alleviation of malnutrition among children be modified to include dental caries mitigation.