Association between Dental Caries and Body Mass Index in 8-12-year-Old School Children

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of dental caries among children aged 8-12-years and to correlate it with the body mass index. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 562 school children between the age of 8-12 years were selected from 3 schools. One examiner conducted the clinical examination using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria to diagnose dental caries. The body mass index (BMI) was also recorded. Results: A high prevalence dental caries was observed among Overweight and obese children compared to normal weight children. Conclusion: The results showed an association between Body mass index and dental caries in children.A higher prevalence of dental caries was experienced among Overweight and Obese children.