Relationship between obesity and dental caries experience in patients attending Tagore Dental College, Chennai, India: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

This study aims to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and dental caries experience among the patients attending the outpatient department of Tagore Dental College, Chennai, India. A cross-sectional study with a convenient sampling technique was employed in the outpatient department of Tagore Dental College, Chennai, India. Obesity was recorded by measuring the BMI. Dental caries experience was recorded using the World Health Organization’s recommended “decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT)” method. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test and Student’s (unpaired) t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Dental caries prevalence was 81.9% with a mean DMFT score of 4.23 ± 3.56. Among the study participants, 69.4% were normal weight, 22.9% were overweight, and 6.8% were underweight. No significant association was found between gender with BMI and caries experience. The prevalence of dental caries was high among the sampled population but the majority of the sampled population had normal BMI. To address public health concerns connected to dental caries, additional oral health prevention programs and policies should be implemented.