Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the oral health status of overweight and obese children compared to normal weight children and to explore the effect of risk indicators, including stress, on the oral health of the children.
Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 7-15-year-old children were enrolled: divided into a group of overweight and obese and a group of normal weight children. Parent-reported questionnaires were used to for data collection demographic data, children's medical and developmental history, brushing frequency and dietary habits. Participants' state and trait anxiety levels were evaluated using STAIC questionnaires while saliva cortisol was measured as a biomarker of stress. Dental Caries (DMFT/dmft), periodontal health (plaque index-PI and gingival index-GI), saliva flow rate and buffer capacity were recorded at the dental clinic by two calibrated examiners. Student's t-test, Pearson's r and Fisher's exact test were used for bivariate associations and backward stepwise multivariate regression analysis for each oral health outcome was performed (P ≤ 0.05).
Results: Overweight and obese children had significantly higher DMFT (3.92 ± 4.69 vs. 1.30 ± 2.49, P < 0.001), PI (0.9 ± 0.5 vs. 0.45 ± 0.52, P < 0,001) and GI (0.38 ± 0.39 vs. 0.18 ± 0.47, P < 0,001), salivary cortisol AUC (128.3 ± 55.5 vs. 99.4 ± 35.7, P = 0.004), lower saliva flow rate and decreased "high" saliva buffer capacity. There were no differences for the STAIC measures between the groups. Child's weight affected periodontal parameters but not dental caries, when controlling for other risk indicators.
Conclusion: Oral status of overweight and obese children was worse compared to normal weight children and this did not correlate to stress variables.
Keywords: Childhood obesity; Dental caries; Periodontal disease; Salivary cortisol; Stress.
© 2021. European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry.