Severe dental caries is associated with incidence of thinness and overweight among preschool Chinese children

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association of incidence and baseline prevalence of severe dental caries with incidences of thinness and overweight among pre-school Chinese children.

Materials and methods: A longitudinal study design was used. A total of 772 children recruited from 15 kindergartens in Liaoning Province who completed baseline and follow-up assessments were included. The age range of children at baseline was 24.6–71.1 months. BMI-for-age z-score was calculated to estimate incidence of thinness and overweight. Severe dental caries was indicated by pulpal involvement, ulceration, fistula or abscess (pufa). Baseline prevalence of severe caries included children with pufa ≥1, incidence included those who changed from pufa = 0 to ≥1 at follow-up. Logistic regression was constructed to assess the association of baseline prevalence and incidence of severe caries with each of incidence thinness and overweight.

Results: Children with incidence of severe caries had higher odds for incidence thinness (OR: 4.08; 95% CI: 1.08, 15.41). Baseline prevalence of severe caries was not significantly associated with incidence thinness. Participants with severe caries at baseline had higher odds for incidence overweight (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.17, 4.63). The relationship between incidence of severe caries and incidence overweight was insignificant.

Conclusions: The findings suggest a U-shaped relationship between severe dental caries and both ends of anthropometric measures among pre-school Chinese children. The findings highlight the importance of integrating oral and general health promotion policies. Primary health care providers are encouraged to incorporate dental screening, counselling and referral for treatment for severe caries to promote appropriate growth and overall health of children.     

Systemic conditions and oral health-related quality of life of pregnant women of normal weight and who are overweight

Objective: This study evaluated systemic and periodontal conditions and their association with quality of life in women in the third trimester of pregnancy, assisted by the Brazilian public health-care system, with excessive and normal weight. Methods: Fifty pregnant women were allocated into two groups according to their pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI): excessive (GE; n = 25; BMI ≥ 25.00 kg/m²); and normal (GN; n = 25; 18.00 ≤ BMI ≤ 24.99 kg/m²). Thereafter, variables such as socio-economic level, anthropometric parameters (body mass index and gestational weight gain), systemic conditions, periodontal status, and oral health-related quality of life using the short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), were evaluated. Results: There was no significant difference between groups in schooling level, monthly household income and gestational weight gain (P > 0.05). The GE group showed a higher frequency of arterial hypertension (P = 0.018), sought dental services less frequently (P = 0.035), had a higher prevalence of periodontitis (P = 0.011), and had a higher OHIP-14 overall score (P = 0.004) characterised by physical and psychological impact. In the final binary logistic regression models, high maternal BMI was associated with arterial hypertension and periodontitis during pregnancy, while periodontitis was strongly associated with moderate and high impact on quality of life. Conclusion: Pregnant women in the third trimester with excessive weight, assisted by the Brazilian public health-care system, presented with a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension, worse periodontal conditions and consequent high impact on quality of life.Key words: Periodontal disease, pregnant women, obesity, overweight, dental public health     

Dental status and self‐assessed chewing ability in 70‐ and 80‐year‐old subjects in Sweden

The objective was to compare two cohorts of elderly people, 70 and 80 years old, with respect to dental status and self‐assessed chewing ability. The hypotheses were as follows: (i) dental status is associated with self‐assessed chewing ability; (ii) chewing ability is poorer among the 80‐ than the 70‐year‐old subjects. Identical questionnaires were in 2012 sent to all subjects born in 1942 and 1932, living in two Swedish counties. The response rate was 70·1% resulting in samples of 5697 70‐ and 2922 80‐year‐old subjects. Answers to questions on self‐assessed chewing ability, dental status and some other factors have been analysed. Dental status varied but was in general good; 72% of the 70‐ and 60% of the 80‐year‐old subjects reported that they had all or only few missing teeth. Rate of edentulism was 3% and 7%, respectively. Removable partial dentures were reported by 6% and 10%, respectively, implant treatment by 13% in both cohorts. Self‐assessed chewing ability was mostly good and correlated with the number of teeth (Spearman rho = 0·46). A majority of the edentulous subjects assessed their chewing ability as very or fairly good. Logistic regression showed that self‐assessed chewing ability was significantly associated with a number of dental variables but also with general health. In conclusion, dental status was relatively good at both ages but somewhat poorer in the older cohort. Dental status, some other dental variables and being healthy were in both age groups significantly associated with self‐assessed chewing ability.     

Relationship between obesity/overweight status, sugar consumption and dental caries among adolescents in South India

To cite this article:
Int J Dent Hygiene 10 , 2012; 240–244
DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2011.00534.x Honne T, Pentapati K, Kumar N, Acharya S. Relationship between obesity/overweight status, sugar consumption and dental caries among adolescents in South India. Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the relationship between obesity/overweight status, sugar consumption and dental caries among adolescents in Udupi District, India. Methods: Study population consisted of 463 school children aged between 13 and 15 years. Information on age, sex, type of school attending and frequency of sugar consumption per day was recorded by a structured self‐administered questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) (height in metres and weight in kilograms) and caries measurements (DMFT) were taken by a trained recorder according to standard criteria. Results: Majority of the children were having low normal weight, with 18.6% in overweight and 3.5% in obese groups. There was a significant difference in the frequency of sugar consumption between the BMI groups. Obese group of children had more caries than the overweight and low‐normal‐weight children. Correlation analysis showed significant positive relation with BMI, decayed teeth and DMFT. Regression analysis showed that caries experience had a significant association with male sex (OR = 2.09, CI = 1.01–4.33), overweight/obese (OR = 3.68, CI = 1.79–7.56) and frequency of sugar consumption more than once per day (OR = 3.13, CI = 1.25–7.85). Conclusion: There was a significant association between overweight/obesity and caries experience among school children of Udupi District. Obesity and dental caries have common risk determinants and require a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to paediatric patients by both medical and dental healthcare professionals.     

Prevalence of tooth erosion and associated factors in 11‐14‐year‐old Brazilian schoolchildren

Objective: Prevalence data about tooth erosion has attracted increasing attention in the dental community; however, population‐based studies that assessed the impact of demographic, socioeconomic, and dietetic predictors on tooth erosion are scarce. This investigation assessed the prevalence of this condition of a sample of 11‐14‐year‐old schoolchildren and the etiological factors. Method: A cross‐sectional study in a multistage random sample of 944, 11‐14‐year‐old Brazilian schoolchildren was conducted in Santa Maria, Brazil. We recorded the prevalence and severity of tooth erosion, dental caries, and dental enamel hypoplasia. Socioeconomic and habits/dietetic data were collected by a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Poisson regression model taking into account the cluster sample. Results: Prevalence of tooth erosion was low (7.2%). The most affected teeth were the maxillary incisors. Labial surfaces were more often affected than palatal ones. All the erosive lesions observed were confined to the enamel. Older children [prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.71; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06‐2.76] with dental enamel hypoplasia (PR = 1.98; 95% CI: 1.21‐3.22) were more likely to have tooth erosion. No significant association was observed between tooth erosion, dental caries, habits and dietary patterns, and socioeconomic factors. Conclusion: The data suggest that tooth erosion was associated with age and presence of hypoplasia. It may indicate the need of strategies to diagnose in early stages and to minimize consequences.