The relation of mothers' nutritional status to primary teeth eruption timing

Primary dentition is developed starting from four months of pregnancy. Mothers' health status may then determine their children's primary dentition status. Nutrition is thus an essential factor in dental development, and the National Health Basic Survey 2013 showed that nutrition problems in Indonesia are still a concern. Delayed eruption is one way that nutrition problems affect the growth and development of teeth. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between mothers' nutritional status and their children's primary teeth eruption time. In total, 172 children under three years old were selected from a health screening in Depok Sub-district, West Java. Information about the mothers' nutrition was collected through the mother and child's health book. Primary teeth eruption phases were examined via the Hulland method. The prevalence of mothers with a poor nutritional status during pregnancy was 18%. Mothers' nutritional status significantly affected the initial timing and duration of the primary dentition eruption process (p<0.05). Children from mothers with poor nutritional status during pregnancy had later timing and longer eruption process duration in their primary teeth.