UNAIR NEWS – Stunting or growth failure conditions in infants under five years old caused many negative impacts on child growth. This condition is also often used as the cause of delayed tooth eruption in children.
Child dentistry expert from Universitas Airlangga, drg Tania Saskianti Sp KGA(K) Ph.D., stated that not all tooth growth (eruption) delays are caused by stunting. “There are indeed studies that show that stunting can be one factor, but not all slow eruptions are caused by stunting,” she said.
Stunting is a condition that can cause a delayed tooth eruption and vice versa. “So the factors that caused stunting can cause slow eruptions. Lack of stimulation in the jaw to chew caused teeth to grow slowly. And vice versa delayed teeth growth can cause food intake not optimal and eventually cause stunting,” explained the lecturer from the Faculty of Dental Medicine Universitas Airlangga (FKG UNAIR).
Education is needed to prevent both conditions from happening in children. In a webinar held by Team 170 of 65th KKN BBM, Drg. Tania explained that two things could be done, avoiding the causative factors of stunting and detecting signs of stunting.
The first thousand days of life, the first 270 days of pregnancy and the first 730 days of life, are golden periods to build the foundation of long-term health. That period can also be optimized to prevent stunting conditions.
“Pregnant women are advised to eat a balanced diet and maintain adequate calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium, so there won’t be growth inhibition of bones and teeth,” explained the pediatric dentist.
Furthermore, maintaining the cleanliness of children’s teeth from childhood is also recommended for parents. “Parents should get used to brushing their teeth conditioned according to the stages of age, stimulation of the gums, introduction to toothbrushes and at the age of twelve children can maintain their dental health properly,” she explained on Sunday, January 30.
By maintaining health of children’s teeth, the nutritional content can be absorbed optimally, reducing the possibility of stunting in children. “But it should be emphasized again that dental and oral health is not the only factor causing stunting. There are environmental factors as well as genetics,” she mentioned. (*)
Author: Stefanny Elly
Editor : Khefti Al Mawalia
