The Nutritional Status of the Children with Severe-
ECC Comparison with the Nutritional Status of
Children without Caries Aged 3-5-Years-Old and with
the Caregiver’s Demographics in a Kenyan Hospital
Volume 2 - Issue 1
Dorah Wassuna, Gladys Opinya*, Mary Masiga, Edith Ngatia and Regina Mutave
-
Author Information
Open or Close
- Department of Paediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi
*Corresponding author:
Gladys Opinya, Department of Paediatric Dentistry &Orthodontics; School of Dental Sciences; College of Health
Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Kenya
Received: April 13, 2018; Published: April 27, 2018
DOI: 10.32474/MADOHC.2018.02.000130
Full Text
PDF
To view the Full Article Peer-reviewed Article PDF
Abstract
Severe early childhood caries (Severe-ECC) is an aggressive, infectious and preventable form of dental caries that affects very
young children. The survey purposed to examine any differences in the severity of poor nutrition in children without decay and
those children with dental decay in the age group between thirty-six and sixty months. Sampling was purposeful and 196 children
aged between 3 to 5 years for this study. The study was hospital-based where eighty-one children with severe dental decay who had
attended the Nyanza Provincial General Hospital (NNPGH). Similarly, one hundred and fifteen children who were caries free were
chosen from amongst the children attending the maternal child health clinic at NNPGH over a period of three months. Odds Ratio
(OR) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were used to estimate the strength of association between Severe ECC and nutritional status.
The mean dmft for the children with severe Early Childhood Caries (ECC) was 7.5±19. The prevalence of malnutrition was reported
among both groups of children with severe ECC and without decay as 28 (14.3%) underweight, wasting 5(2.5%), and stunting
9(4.6%). The malnutrition in children with, Severe-ECC was observed as 27(14%) underweight; 10(4.9%) of the children were
wasted, and 5(2.5%) were stunted. However among the children without caries 26 (13.9%) were underweight while 5 (2.6% were
wasted, and 12 (6.1%) were stunted. Both children those with severe ECC and those with decay, however, the children who were
likely to be underweight at 1.23 times were those affected with severe ECC at 1.23 times compared to the children without decay.
Hence other factors may be playing a role in malnutrition of children aged 3-5year old.
Keywords: Severe-ECC; Nutritional status; Caregivers demographics
Abstract|
Introduction|
Materials and Methods|
Results|
Discussion|
References|