title: An investigation into the dental health of children with obesity: an analysis of dental erosion and caries status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether children with obesity experienced more erosion and caries than children with normal weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved children aged 7-15 years. The study and control group comprised 32 children with BMI > 98th centile and 32 healthy children with normal BMI-for-age, respectively. O'Sullivan Erosion Index and WHO Caries Index were used in the examination of erosion and caries, respectively. Stimulated salivary flow rate, buffering capacity, Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli counts (CFU/ml) were evaluated. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was employed to collect information on participant's demographic background, oral health history and habits, and utilisation of dental care services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with obesity were more likely to have erosion than healthy children (p < 0.001), and had more erosion in terms of severity (p < 0.0001) and area affected (p < 0.0001), but not in the number of surfaces affected (p = 0.167). Posterior teeth were less likely than anterior teeth to be affected by erosion (OR 0.32, 95 % CI 0.012-0.082). Gender had no effect on erosion. There were no statistically significant differences in the DMFT, saliva profiles or questionnaire responses between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with obesity may have high risk of dental erosion, but do not necessarily have higher risk of dental caries than children with normal weight.
authors: Discipline of Orthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, 11 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119083, Republic of Singapore, denthj@nus.edu.sg.
authors: H J
authors: HJ
authors: Tong
authors: M C J
authors: MC
authors: Rudolf
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Muyombwe
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Duggal
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Balmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058491:Bacterial Load; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002021:Buffers; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D009909:Oral Health; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012923:Social Class; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D014100:Toothpastes; D005459:Fluorides