title: The relationship between zinc deficiency and children's oral health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of systemic zinc deficiency on the oral health of children remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the dental caries prevalence and gingival health status of zinc-deficient children with healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty children (30 zinc-deficient,  30 zinc-sufficient), whose serum zinc levels were quantified by spectrophotometry, were recruited to participate in the study. A serum zinc level of 70 μg/dL or below was determined as a cutoff value for zinc deficiency. Oral examination was performed by a single experienced dentist. Decayed,  missing, or filled primary (dmft) and permanent teeth (DMFT), gingival (GI), and plaque index (PI) scores of zinc-deficient (case group) and zinc-sufficient children (control group) were assessed. Data were analyzed by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Mann-Whitney U tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean dmft,  DMFT, GI, and PI scores of the case and control groups were 4.03 vs 2.33 (p=0.010), 1.87 vs 1.03 (P<.07), 2.40 vs 1.33 (P=.00), and 1.63 vs 0.43 (P=.00), respectively. Although DMTF indices were higher in zinc-deficient children, the difference was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with systemic zinc deficiency have a higher caries prevalence and poorer gingival health compared to their zinc-sufficient counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Halil Brahim
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Atasoy
authors.forename: Zgür Ilke Atasoy
authors.initials: ZI
authors.lastname: Ulusoy
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012923:Social Class; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc