Nutritional status and malocclusion parameters among 5–15-year-old school-going children of Bathinda, Punjab, India

Context: The relationship between children's oral health and general health has become a research subject of growing interest. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between nutritional status and malocclusion parameters among school-going children of Bathinda, Punjab, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study for 18 months was conducted among 500 5–15-year-old school-going children. Oral examination was done to check malocclusion parameters such as crowding, facial height (FH), and anterior and posterior crossbite. Nutritional status assessment was done using body mass index (BMI). The data were tabulated in Microsoft Excel and statistically analyzed using the SPSS (IBM Corporation) software. Results: A statistically significant association was found between BMI and malocclusion parameters such as dental crowding and FH. No statistically significant association was found between nutritional status and anterior/posterior crossbite. Conclusion: Further research is needed for in-depth understanding of role of nutritional status on malocclusion indicators during early years of life for timely interventions and prevention.