An ancient disease linked to malnutrition is on the rise among American children, ‘troubling’ data shows.

The rate of scurvy – which can cause teeth to fall out and extreme pain – tripled between 2016 and 2020, from around eight in every 100,000 kids to nearly 27.

The condition is caused by a lack of Vitamin C from fruit and vegetables, which is essential to keep skin, blood vessels and ligaments healthy.

Millions of children in rural America live in food deserts — neighborhoods where there is limited access to healthy, fresh food — who are especially vulnerable.

But while diet has is a major contributor to scurvy, experts say there are other factors in play – including rising rates of autism in minors.

Scurvy can be traced to as far back as 3,800 BC Egypt.

In modern history, scurvy was documented in the 1500s and more than 2million sailors died from the condition between the 16th and 18th centuries.

It was thought to have disappeared in the 1900s once it was discovered that eating a more well-balanced seemed to prevent it.

But it had a resurgence in the 1970s when the American diet became more carb-based and less dependent on fresh fruits and vegetables, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Scurvy is caused by a long-term lack of vitamin C, a vital nutrient for tissue growth and wound healing. It’s found in citrus fruits, potatoes, red and chili peppers, strawberries and tomatoes.

The vitamin is needed to make collagen, a major building block for the skin, bones, ligaments, blood, muscles and cartilage.

Without vitamin C, the body cannot make enough collagen or heal as quickly, which leads to bleeding gums and loosened teeth, scaly skin, brittle hair, bleeding underneath the skin, muscle fatigue, anemia and bruising.

Scurvy can also cause swollen legs and pain so severe children may refuse to walk.

In 2022, 17 percent of American households with children faced food insecurity — a 40 percent increase from the previous year, the USDA reported.

More than half a million deaths per year are linked to nutritional deficiencies.

But Dr Stephanie Gilley from Children’s Hospital Colorado told DailyMail.com there were other reasons for the scurvy increase.

She said: ‘I also think that there are more children who are having severe neurodevelopmental disorders.