The correlation between oral health and stunting in children: A literature review

Background: Growth stunting refers to a condition in which children have a lower stature compared to their classmates, as determined by the World Health Organization's child growth standard assessment. This disorder can impact the growth of the brain and other body components, including the oral cavity, leading to effects on oral hygiene and general oral health. The objective of this study is to establish the relationship between stunting and dental and oral health in children. There is a considerable body of scientific research that leans in this way, and it appears that there is an association between growth retardation and dental health. According to the findings of this research, oral health was determined by the presence of oral hygiene, oral illness (dental caries), salivary flow rate, and salivary content. One of the risk factors for ECC is the presence of stunting. According to this study, there is a connection between stunting and ECC as well as moderate dental hygiene.
Objectives: To review the correlation between oral health and stunting in children.
Conclusion: There exists an association between growth stunting and dental health in children. The oral hygiene can be classified as moderate to poor based on the OHI-S test, and selected studies have identified a high plaque index. Furthermore, it was shown that children with growth stunting had a reduction in both salivary flow rate and the content of their saliva. Dental caries is the primary cause of oral illness, leading to a decline in oral health and is associated with development stunting in children.