Abstract

QUINONEZ YBARRA, María Elena; RODRIGUEZ CALZADILLA, Amado; GONZALEZ CABRERA, Braudelino  and  PADILLA GONZALEZ, Carmen. Oral morbidity and its relationship with the nutritional status of 2-5 years-old children. Rev Cubana Estomatol [online]. 2004, vol.41, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-297X.

The present paper describes the morbidity of the main oral diseases and their relationship with nutritional status and low birthweight in 2-5 years-old children. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to evaluate 230 children - 115 eutrophic and 115 undernourished- according to the Cuban weight-size reference tables, biochemical and clinical examinations, using variables such as nutritional status, birthweight, coe-d index, dental eruption retardation, dental enamel lesions, malocclusion, and PMA index. For statistical processing, Chi-square test with a 95% confidence interval (alpha 0,05) was applied. It was concluded that coe-d index was 0,14 for eutrophics and 0,71 for undernourished. 2,63% of eutrophics and 39,47% of the undernourished showed dental eruption retardation. The retardation was more remarkable in low-birthweight undernourished children amounting to 75%. Dental enamel lesions only occurred in the undernourished group (22,60%), mainly in low birthweighted (34,61%). The malocclusion percentage was 36,52% in the eutrophics, 62,6% in the undernourished and 84,61% in the low-birthweighted. Mild gingivitis accounted for 26,92% as periodontal disorder in low birthweight undernourished children.

Keywords : Nutritional status; oral health; child; preschool.