298 - A Meta-Analysis of BMI and Dental Caries in Children

Purpose: There is a high prevalence of early childhood caries and childhood obesity. Therefore, it is important to understand if there is a causational relationship that may provide improved treatment modalities. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the relationship between BMI and incidence of dental cares as quantified by DMFT (decayed, missing or filled teeth) in children between the ages of 2 and 17.

Methods: A literature search of published articles was performed in OVID medline between 2000 and 2023. Only articles involving BMI and DFMT were included. The articles were then screened for only healthy children between the ages of 2 and 17 and papers where BMI data is present. Exclusion criteria included children with special needs, case report studies, and questionnaire studies where there is low-quality of evidence. Of the 229 articles, 8 articles were selected due to available statistical data and homogeneity of quantifiable information.

Results: 8 studies with 4,490 patients were included. The BMI categories were defined as follows: Underweight (BMI < 18.5), Normal (18.5 ≤ BMI ≤ 24.9), Overweight (25 ≤ BMI ≤ 29.9), Obese (BMI ≥ 30). The mean DMFT are 2.18, 2.66, 3.13, and 3.38 for each category respectively.

Conclusion: There is some positive correlation between BMI and DMFT and BMI subgroups show differences across BMI categories. However, further studies are needed to determine significant relationship.


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