Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 54 2 2025 02 08 265 272 EN Darmawan Setijanto Department of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia Abdullah Hemadi Pediatric Dentistry, Taiz University, Taiz, Yemen Iwan Dewanto Department of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Melissa Adiatman Department of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia Kartika Wulan Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia Valendriyani Ningrum Department of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Baiturrahmah, West Sumatra, Indonesia Armelia Widyarman Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Trisakti University, West Jakarta, Indonesia Tince Jovina Health Policy Agency, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia Naneu Arfani Directorate of Primary Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia Indra Dharmawan Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia Sri Nuraini Directorate of Primary Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia Ammara Mahrunisa Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia Marvin Hidayat Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia 2023 09 28 2024 10 06 Background: Stunting has a negative impact on the growth and development of children, which include their susceptibility to dental caries. Caries in primary teeth have been consistently related to malnutrition. Having a history of severe caries was connected with slower childhood growth. We aimed to explain the updated trend of association between stunting and dental caries among all age groups. Methods: A review was done using PRISMA. PubMed and Science Direct was used as database from Jan 2022 to Jan 2023. Studies obtained using specific keywords was 1.748 then filtered. All of the studies that were obtained using specific keywords about stunting and DMFT and or PUFA index. There is no limited year in this systematic search. Endnote software was used to help with the inclusion process; data was extracted into a table that had been prepared. Results: There were 10 included studies in this systematic review. Eight studies that reported higher dental caries in stunting children than the normal children. Two studies showed a connection between developing stunting malnutrition and severe dental caries. Early childhood caries may increase vulnerability to dental caries by causing odontogenesis to fail, delayed tooth eruption and changes in the salivary glands. Children's ability to eat and sleep may be negatively impacted by untreated caries pain. It might result in decreased nutrient intake and poor appetite, while sleep disturbances might prevent growth hormones from being secreted. Conclusion: There was a correlation between dental caries and growth stunting because of a decrease in the composition of saliva and defects in tooth formation in children suffered stunting. Thus, there were oral functional limitations and a decrease in food intake since severe dental caries. https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/33310 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/33310/8462