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Early Childhood Dental Caries, Mouth Pain, and Malnutrition in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region

Author

Listed:
  • Marvin So

    (Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
    Joint First Authors.)

  • Yianni A. Ellenikiotis

    (Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
    Joint First Authors.)

  • Hannah M. Husby

    (University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Drive S., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Cecilia Leonor Paz

    (Doctor en Odontología General, Quito, Ecuador)

  • Brittany Seymour

    (Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
    Joint Senior Authors.)

  • Karen Sokal-Gutierrez

    (University of California, Berkeley-University of California San Francisco Joint Medical Program, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, 570 University Hall, MC 1190, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
    Joint Senior Authors.)

Abstract

Malnutrition and dental caries in early childhood remain persistent and intertwined global health challenges, particularly for indigenous and geographically-remote populations. To examine the prevalence and associations between early childhood dental caries, parent-reported mouth pain and malnutrition in the Amazonian region of Ecuador, we conducted a cross-sectional study of the oral health and nutrition status of 1407 children from birth through age 6 in the “Alli Kiru” program (2011–2013). We used multivariate regression analysis to examine relationships between severe caries, parent-reported mouth pain measures, and nutritional status. The prevalence of dental caries was 65.4%, with 44.7% of children having deep or severe caries, and 33.8% reporting mouth pain. The number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) increased dramatically with age. Malnutrition was prevalent, with 35.9% of children stunted, 1.1% wasted, 7.4% underweight, and 6.8% overweight. As mouth pain increased in frequency, odds for severe caries increased. For each unit increase in mouth pain frequency interfering with sleeping, children had increased odds for being underweight (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02–1.54) and decreased odds for being overweight (AOR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.58–0.97). This relationship was most pronounced among 3–6 year-olds. Early childhood caries, mouth pain and malnutrition were prevalent in this sample of young children. Parent-reported mouth pain was associated with severe caries, and mouth pain interfering with sleeping was predictive of poor nutritional status. We demonstrate the utility of a parsimonious parent-reported measure of mouth pain to predict young children’s risk for severe early childhood caries and malnutrition, which has implications for community health interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Marvin So & Yianni A. Ellenikiotis & Hannah M. Husby & Cecilia Leonor Paz & Brittany Seymour & Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, 2017. "Early Childhood Dental Caries, Mouth Pain, and Malnutrition in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:5:p:550-:d:99326
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Khanh, L.N. & Ivey, S.L. & Sokal-Gutierrez, K. & Barkan, H. & Ngo, K.M. & Hoang, H.T. & Vuong, I. & Thai, N., 2015. "Early childhood caries, mouth pain, and nutritional threats in Vietnam," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(12), pages 2510-2517.
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    Cited by:

    1. Neha Zahid & Nehaa Khadka & Madhurima Ganguly & Tanya Varimezova & Bathsheba Turton & Laura Spero & Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, 2020. "Associations between Child Snack and Beverage Consumption, Severe Dental Caries, and Malnutrition in Nepal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Priyanka Athavale & Nehaa Khadka & Shampa Roy & Piyasree Mukherjee & Deepika Chandra Mohan & Bathsheba (Bethy) Turton & Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, 2020. "Early Childhood Junk Food Consumption, Severe Dental Caries, and Undernutrition: A Mixed-Methods Study from Mumbai, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Madiha Yousaf & Tahir Aslam & Sidra Saeed & Azza Sarfraz & Zouina Sarfraz & Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda, 2022. "Individual, Family, and Socioeconomic Contributors to Dental Caries in Children from Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-26, June.
    4. Amy H. Park & Rachel J. Kulchar & Sita Manasa Susarla & Bathsheba Turton & Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, 2023. "Fewer Children in Families Associated with Lower Odds of Early Childhood Caries: A Sample from Three Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    5. Chloe Tsang & Karen Sokal-Gutierrez & Priya Patel & Brett Lewis & Debbie Huang & Kristina Ronsin & Ashmita Baral & Aparna Bhatta & Nehaa Khadka & Howard Barkan & Sidhanta Gurung, 2019. "Early Childhood Oral Health and Nutrition in Urban and Rural Nepal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-11, July.
    6. Eleonor Vélez-León & Alberto Albaladejo & Katherine Cuenca-León & Magaly Jiménez-Romero & Ana Armas-Vega & María Melo, 2022. "Prevalence of Caries According to the ICDAS II in Children from 6 and 12 Years of Age from Southern Ecuadorian Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-10, June.

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