Age at menarche and eruption of permanent second molars: an investigation to determine a possible correlation.

Abstract

Objective: Downward shifts in the mean menarcheal age and earlier emergence of permanent second molars have been observed worldwide during the past few decades. A positive correlation between the two would make menarche a biomarker for permanent second molar eruption or vice versa, making it a simple tool for monitoring oral status of adolescent girls. This study was conducted to find a correlation between attainment of menarche and eruption status of permanent second molars in girls aged 10-13 years. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 470 female students from six randomly selected schools who consented to participate in the interview and oral examination. Data were analyzed using the Chi square (X2) test with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Significant differences existed within the age groups with regard to attainment of menarche (p = 0.000) and eruption status of second molars (p = 0.000 for all four teeth). However, no correlation could be found between attainment of menarche and eruption status of the permanent second molars. Conclusion: Although this study failed to find a correlation between the two variables, a population based multicentric survey may give a concrete conclusion on this issue.