Malnutrition-related early childhood exposures and enamel defects in the permanent dentition: A longitudinal study from the Bolivian Amazon

摘要

Objectives: We investigated the relationship between early childhood malnutrition-related measures and subsequent enamel defects in the permanent dentition. Materials and Methods: This cohort study included 349 Amerindian adolescents (10-17 years, 52% male) from the Bolivian Amazon. Exposures included: stunted growth (height-for-age zscores), underweight (weight-for-age z-scores), anemia (hemoglobin), acute inflammation (C-reactive protein) and parasitic infection (hookworm). We measured the occurrence (no/yes) and extent (<1/3, 1/3-2/3, >2/3) of enamel defects. We estimated associations between childhood exposures and enamel defect measures using log-binomial and multinomial logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of an enamel defect characterized by an orange peel texture on a large central depression on the labial surface of the central maxillary incisors was 92.3%. During childhood (1-4 years), participants had a high prevalence of stunted growth (75.2%), anemia (56.9%), acute inflammation (39.1%), and hookworm infection (49.6%). We observed associations between childhood height-for-age (OR=0.65; P=0.028 for >2/3 extent vs. no EH) and gastrointestinal hookworm infection (OR=3.43; P=0.035 for >2/3 extent vs. no defects or <1/3 extent) with enamel defects. Discussion: The study describes a possibly novel form of enamel hypoplasia and provides evidence for associations of malnutrition-related measures in early childhood, including stunted growth and parasitic helminth infection, with the observed enamel defects.