Oral health among children with failure to thrive

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between Failure to Thrive (FTT) and oral health in children, focusing on the influence of medical, dietary, and environmental factors on Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and Severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC). A significant gap in U.S. studies concerning the relationship between nutritional status and dental caries, particularly in children aged 0-5 years, highlights the need for more focused and diverse research.

A retrospective evaluation of medical records from Boston Medical Center's Growth Clinic examined children diagnosed with FTT from January 2018 to December 2022 and investigated the prevalence of dental caries in these children. The control group consisted of typically developing children matched by age, gender, and insurance status. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and Chi-Square tests to explore differences in demographics, dietary factors, and oral health outcomes between the groups.

Results indicated similar gender ratios and predominant public insurance usage in both groups. The FTT group showed a higher incidence of environmental factors contributing to their condition, a greater dependency on bottle feeding and soft diets, and poorer oral hygiene. These factors also correlated with a significantly higher prevalence of ECC and S-ECC compared to the control group.

The study uncovered significant environmental and dietary influences on the oral health of children with FTT. It underscored the importance of integrating oral health evaluations and treatments into care strategies for children with FTT given the strong association between FTT and adverse dental outcomes. Limitations of the retrospective approach and sample size are discussed, with recommendations for future prospective studies and larger sample sizes. Applications for clinical practice focused on enhancing healthcare accessibility and integrating updated training for providers to ensure effective management of FTT in children.