Oral health status in relation to nutritional status amongst orphans aged (6-12) years in Baghdad city, Iraq.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: We aimed to assess selected measures of oral health, namely, enamel defect, eruption of permanent teeth, and dental caries. The nutritional status of orphans was investigated by physical examination, and then the nutritional status was correlated with measures of oral health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: A total of 192 orphans aged of 6 and 12 living in all orphanages in Baghdad, Iraq, were studied. Enamel defect was derived from the WHO's modified developmental defects of enamel index, investigation of caries using Decay -Missing - Filled index (DMF) for permanent teeth, the decay-missing filled index for primary teeth (dmf) index. All permanent teeth were inspected for eruptive stage. According to body mass index (BMI) for age, subject's visits and birthday dates were recorded as day/month/year. Height was measured in centimetre and weight in kilogram. Data were then transfer data to BMI Excel calculator. RESULTS: Results: The prevalence of enamel defect was low in the sample, and fully erupted teeth had high prevalence amongst orphans (more than 9 years old). A high percentage of caries existed amongst orphans, and the highest percentage of the sample was normal in weight. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Enamel defect was higher amongst normal weight then overweight children. The mean of permanent teeth eruption increased with increased BMI for age. A high caries prevalence existed amongst orphans.