Analysis of relationship between caries index and stunting in preschool children in Indonesia

A condition known as stunting results from a persistently low nutritional intake during the first 1000 days of life. It is characterized by a height based on age that is less than two standard deviations from the World Health Organization's (WHO) median standard. There are two categories for stunting: short (Z Score -2 SD) and very short (Z Score -3 SD). Stunting results in a number of oral health issues, including delayed milk tooth eruption, atrophy of the developing salivary glands, reduced salivary flow, and an elevated risk of dental caries. The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between the caries index and stunting in preschool children (3-6 years) in Indonesia. This research is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 98 children taken randomly in Sidenreng Rappang Regency, Indonesia. Determination of nutritional status based on anthropometric measurements, such as height and weight measurements based on age groups. The Decay Missing Filled-Teeth (DMF-T) examination is conducted by looking at teeth that are decayed, filled and missing. Furthermore, the severity of dental caries is categorized into low (DMF-T 0-2.6), medium (DMF-T 2.7-4.4), and high (DMF-T > 4.5) with data analyzed using the chi-square test. The results of measuring nutritional status showed that 78 children (79.6%) experienced stunting. There are 17 children (17.34%) with DMF-T scores in the low category, 7 children (7,114%) in the medium category, and 26 children (26.53%) in the high category. The results of bivariate analysis show p = 0.000 so that there is a significant relationship between stunting and the severity of dental caries in preschool children in Sidenreng Rappang Regency. It is necessary to increase health promotion efforts related to stunting and dental health through health education activities that involve the role of parents in choosing food intake and maintaining the cleanliness of children's teeth and mouths.