Exploring the association of dental caries with social factors and nutritional status in Brazilian preschool children

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Abstract
The main objective of this study was to assess whether dental caries status was related to nutritional status in preschool urban Brazilian children aged 12–59 months. Dental and anthropometric examinations were conducted on 1,018 12–59-month-old children during the National Day of Children Vaccination. Dental caries prevalence and severity were measured using the decayed, missing or filled surfaces (dmfs) index. The World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards Reference was used to evaluate nutritional status. Results on nutritional status were presented as Z-scores. The data collected included socio-economic conditions. Multilevel linear regression was applied to investigate the effect of nutritional, socio-economic, and demographic factors on the status of children’s dental caries. Caries was present in 23.4% of children. The final hierarchical logistic model showed a significant association between nutritional status and caries experience. Children with low Z-scores in some indexes had an increased risk of having caries. In addition, children whose mothers had < 8 yr of education and were from lower-income families had an increased risk of high levels of dental caries. There was an association between nutritional and socio-economic factors, and dental caries. In conclusion, underweight children and those with adverse socio-economic conditions were more likely to have caries experience.