Treatment Essential for Dental Cavities in Children
Dental cavities are common in children and are often left untreated when they affect primary teeth.
Alarmingly, according to a new study published in the journal of Paediatrics, untreated dental cavities could impede children’s growth, Cosmetic Dentistry Guide informed.
Researchers from University College London and King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, examined a number of children aged between six and eight, attending military primary schools in Saudi Arabia, and took notes on their dental status. This included the number of decayed, filled and missing teeth; this information was then analysed in connection to the height and weight of the children.
Results showed that the children with more dental problems were shorter and lighter than those with healthy teeth, suggesting that decayed, missing and filled teeth could stunt growth. Overall, the correlation between the two measurements was stable after removing certain variables, including social and demographic factors. This led researchers to conclude that untreated cavities in young children was associated with poorer growth.
This is not the first time that academics have linked the number of dental cavities in an individual with weight, but there has been little evidence available thus far.
Moreover, data from such studies has been quite conflicting, with some research suggesting a there is no link between tooth decay and physical development, whilst others have confirmed the relation.
Read more about UK scientists’ research into tooth decay in children.
- Regardless of whether the results should be considered conclusive or not, parents are strongly advised to teach their children to take good care of their teeth in order to prevent dental cavities.
- Should tooth decay in young children be treated with a filling? See what we think – click here.
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