NUTRITIONAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES ON CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENT FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Craniofacial development results from the interaction of genetic, cellular, endocrine, metabolic, and environmental processes and is particularly sensitive to conditions during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. This article aimed to discuss the relationships between nutrition, physiology, and craniofacial development, considering their implications for public health. A narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar, with searches performed between August and November 2026 and publications from January 2015 through November 2026 considered. Observational, experimental, and clinical studies, as well as relevant reviews, addressing maternal nutrition, micronutrients, bone metabolism, tooth development, craniofacial conditions, and social determinants were prioritized. The literature indicates that maternal and childhood nutritional status may be associated with outcomes such as orofacial clefts, positional skull deformation, tooth eruption timing, and bone mineralization. However, the strength of evidence varies by outcome, and findings on systemic bone mass should not be interpreted as direct evidence of effects on the maxilla and mandible. An integrated approach to these factors may support health promotion, nutritional surveillance, and the prevention of adverse outcomes from the preconception period onward.