Impact of total parenteral nutrition on deciduous tooth eruption of very low birthweight premature infants

ABSTRACT

Purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of total parenteral nutrition on deciduous teeth eruption of very low birth weight premature infants. It was a prospective study done at Prince Hashim Ben Al-hussein Military Hospital of 85 healthy preterm infants who were born with birthweight of 800-1500grams, and at 27-32 weeks gestational age. They were divided into two main groups Group [40 preterm infants who did not receive total parenteral nutrition] and Group B [45 preterm infants who received total parenteral nutrition [TPN] during stay in the neonatal intensive care unit]. Group B was divided into two subgroups B1 [20 preterm infants who received only 3.5 grams/Kg/day Amino acids] and B2 [25 preterm infants who received amino acids and 3 grams /kg/day intralipids]. A first tooth eruption record was completed by the neonatologist and the parents of the enrolled infants during regular clinic appointments. Normal eruption was seen in subjects with birthweight [1001-1500 grams] than those with birth weight of 800-1000 grams and gestational age [30-32 weeks] than [27-29 weeks]. There were significant differences between groups for total parenteral nutrition, and they were highly significant when amino acids and intralipids were used together. As far as intubation is concerned the difference was not significant when the delayed group compared to the normal group. Neonatal sepsis were significantly increased when the oral intubation was more than 5 days. The study concluded that the introduction of total parenteral nutrition to very low birth weight premature infants resulted with early first tooth eruption. It is concluded that intralipids component of TPN is responsible for this observation, but further studies to evaluate the role of other TPN components are mandatory