The Updated Trend of Association between Dental Caries and Stunting in All Age Groups: A Systematic Review

Background: Stunting has a negative impact on the growth and development of children, which include their susceptibility to dental caries. Caries in primary teeth have been consistently related to malnutrition. Having a history of severe caries was connected with slower childhood growth. We aimed to explain the updated trend of association between stunting and dental caries among all age groups. Methods: A review was done using PRISMA. PubMed and Science Direct was used as database from Jan 2022 to Jan 2023. Studies obtained using specific keywords was 1.748 then filtered. All of the studies that were obtained using specific keywords about stunting and DMFT and or PUFA index. There is no limited year in this systematic search. Endnote software was used to help with the inclusion process; data was extracted into a table that had been prepared. Results: There were 10 included studies in this systematic review. Eight studies that reported higher dental caries in stunting children than the normal children. Two studies showed a connection between developing stunting malnutrition and severe dental caries. Early childhood caries may increase vulnerability to dental caries by causing odontogenesis to fail, delayed tooth eruption and changes in the salivary glands. Children's ability to eat and sleep may be negatively impacted by untreated caries pain. It might result in decreased nutrient intake and poor appetite, while sleep disturbances might prevent growth hormones from being secreted. Conclusion: There was a correlation between dental caries and growth stunting because of a decrease in the composition of saliva and defects in tooth formation in children suffered stunting. Thus, there were oral functional limitations and a decrease in food intake since severe dental caries.