Effect of nutritional rickets on dental development in North Indian children: A prospective study

Rickets is a disorder caused by a lack of Vitamin D, calcium or phosphate. It leads to softening and weakening of the bones. Dental manifestation of rickets includes enamel hypoplasia and delayed tooth eruption. The present prospective study was carried out to report various dental anomalies caused due to rickets in children. The present study was carried out on 120 pediatric subjects between the age-group of group 6-18 years of age with history of rickets in infancy as reported by pediatrician. The developmental defect of enamel index was used for recording enamel lesions along with radiographs. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Enamel hypoplasia was detected in 90 cases, missing teeth were detected in 45 cases, bilaterally missing mandibular second premolars were detected in 30 cases, seven cases were found with bilaterally missing maxillary first premolars, maxillary canines, and mandibular second premolars. Significant dental disturbances, e.g., hypoplasia, missing teeth can occur in children suffering from rickets in infancy. Careful and thorough management of this disorder can be done by conservative dental treatments such as composite sealant restorations and other preventive dental treatments.