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Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Abstract

Background and Objective: The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically worldwide in recent years, becoming a growing public health concern globally, especially among children, due to its association with systemic health. Despite emerging evidence suggesting a bidirectional relationship between obesity and oral health, limited studies have examined this association in adolescent populations, particularly in Syria. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and oral h

ealth indices, including gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, among adolescents aged 12-14 years in Damascus, Syria.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 654 children were classified according to their BMI for age and sex into the following groups; underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. Data on plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and caries index of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) were collected. Data were analyzed by SPSS 26 using descriptive tests, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Spearman correlation test at the 0.05 level.

Results: The mean values of oral health indices (GI, PI, and DMFT) were significantly higher in obese individuals than in individuals with low or normal weight (P<0.05). Spearman correlation coefficient showed a significant positive relationship of weak intensity between gingival and plaque indices and BMI (P<0.05) and moderate intensity between caries index and BMI (P>0.01).

Conclusions: Based on the current study, we note the association of oral health with BMI in children in Damascus, where high values of gingival, plaque, and caries indices were associated with high BMI. Hence, more studies are needed to confirm these findings.

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