Assessment of Oral Health Status and Nutritional Status of Tribal Children Residing in Tribal Area of Maharashtra State, India

Introduction: Nutritional deficiencies affect the structural integrity of oral tissues and these changes are frequently the first clinical signs of deficiency. The study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and to determine the prevalence of oral diseases among tribal children. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study of 524 children up to five years of age from the tribal villages of the Nandurbar district in India. Assessment of caries (def index), enamel opacities/hypoplasia, gingival bleeding, plaque status, intra-oral and extra-oral, soft tissue examination along with weight, height, and nutritional status were recorded. Results: 27.7% and 19.7% of the studied children belonged to the very severe and severe malnutrition categories. Mean def index of the study children was 1.03±1.056. Enamel hypoplasia, plaque, and gingival bleeding were seen in 29.77%, 70.2%, and 33.01% of the children, respectively. All the conditions except caries showed high prevalence and significant positive association among malnourished children as compared to normal children except for caries. Conclusion: Malnutrition is associated with poor oral health, which calls for immediate action to rehabilitate their nutrition and restore their oral health.