A four-year longitudinal study of Peruvian children confirms a cause-and-effect relationship between early malnutrition and dental caries. Over 200 participants, aged 6-11 months, were recruited for the study and classified as:
Group 1: Normal
Group 2: Wasted (low weight for height)
Group 3: Stunted (low height for age)
Group 4: Stunted and Wasted
The study found significant delays in primary tooth eruption in all groups. However, the effects of Group 3 (Stunted) were more pronounced and lasted longer than Group 2 (Wasted). Group 4 (Stunted and Wasted) showed measurably higher dental carries experiences by age 4.
The study was conducted primarily by the Department of Community and Public Health Dentistry at the University of Alabama, in partnership with the Departments of Public Health and Nutrition Sciences and Department of Pediatrics.
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