title: A study on nutritional status and tooth crown size among 6-9-year-old children: An observational cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Numerous factors contribute to variation in tooth size. This is broadly described as genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. A strong genetic contribution has been shown, but environmental factors may also play a role.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between nutritional status and tooth crown size.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted among 100 school-going children of 6-9 years. The value obtained was plotted on age- and gender-specific percentile curves chart given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; individuals were categorized based on body mass index criteria. The participants were examined for the mesiodistal width of primary second molar and permanent first molar by three different observers using a Vernier Caliper. Data obtained were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  total of 45, 40, and 15 belonged to underweight, normal, and overweight category, respectively. The tooth size of primary molar between healthy, overweight, and underweight children was 9.87 ± 0.23, 9.47 ± 0.48, and 9.61 ± 0.7, respectively, and for permanent molar between healthy, overweight, and underweight children was 10.63 ± 0.2, 10.56 ± 0.5, and 10.57 ± 0.6, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correlation between tooth crown size with an exogenous chronic stressor, i.e., malnutrition, was found to be nonsignificant when compared with the healthy individuals. The findings indicate that nutritional status does not significantly influence the determination of tooth size in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Navodaya Dental College and Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zameer
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dental Science, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Gizan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Syed Nahid
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Basheer
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Oxford Dental College and Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Naviwala Gulam
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Navodaya Dental College and Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mudassar
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Navodaya Dental College and Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Panineeya Dental College and Hospital, NTR University of Health Science, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Haroon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quadri
keywords: Body mass index; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; malnutrition; nutritional status; tooth size