Background and Objective: Malnutrition and dental caries are important problems in elementary students, Thailand. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between nutritional status and dental caries in Samliam municipal elementary students, Khon Kaen Province.
Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted during March to August, 2015. A total of 210 Samliam municipal elementary students volunteered to participate in this study. Data were collected from questionnaires, weight and height measurements, and oral examination records. The oral health status was recorded using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index and Plaque index. The nutritional status was measured using body mass index for age from WHO criteria (2007), weight for age and height for age.
Results: The average age of the participants was 9.3+1.7 years (6 to 12 years). The prevalence rate of dental caries was 73.4%. Decay, missing and filling of deciduous teeth (dmft) were of 3.1+3.6 teeth/person. Decay, missing and filling of
permanent teeth (DMFT) were of 0.4+2.9 teeth/person. The participant’s nutritional status included normal (65.2%), thinness (5.7%), overweight (10.2%) and obesity (18.6%). The present study found that there was a significant relationship between high height for age and dental caries.
Conclusion: There were a high prevalence of deciduous dental caries and malnutrition (overweight and obesity) in the Samliam municipal elementary students. A significant relationship between high height for age and dental caries was found.

Keywords: Dental caries, Nutritional status, Elementary students