A Study between Malnutrition Associated with Malocclusion, Dental Caries, Enamel Hypoplasia and Salivary Gland Flow in Mixed Dentition Stage – An in Vivo Study

Abstract

Malnutrition in Indian population is recently becoming subject of study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis of malnutrition associated with malocclusion and other oral anomalies. Aim: Aim of this study was to evaluate the association of malnutrition with malocclusion, dental caries, enamel hypoplasia and salivary flow in mixed dentition stage. Material and method: One hundred twenty subjects were selected for this study in Rabindranath Tagore Medical College & hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan. BMI index was calculated and oral examinations were done to evaluate all findings. Result: In the present study, there was no significant relationship found in malnutrition with dental crowding (P value=0.79), spacing (P value =0.55) and crossbite (P value =0.56). There was significant relationship found with malnutrition with dental caries and salivary flow (P value =0.003) in subjects as compared to other individuals. Also there was significant relationship present between enamel hypoplasia and malnutrition (P value =0.02) of the subjects. Conclusion: The present study shows no significant relationship of malnutrition with malocclusion, dental crowding, spacing and dental crossbite. Also there was significant value present to evaluate the relationship with malnutrition with dental caries, salivary flow rate and enamel hypoplasia.