Association of the prevalence and severity of untreated traumatic dental injuries with body mass index among Brazilian preschool children

• Published in: Dental traumatology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 206 - 212
• Main Authors: Motta‐Rego, Thiago, Soares, Maria Eliza Consolação, Souto‐Souza, Debora, Souza, Esther Aranda, Paiva, Saul Martins, Ramos‐Jorge, Maria Letícia, Ramos‐Jorge, Joana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2022
• Subjects: Body Mass Index; Body weight; Brazil - epidemiology; Child, Preschool; Children; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental enamel; dental trauma; Dentin; Fractures; Humans; Multivariate analysis; Obesity; Overbite; Overweight; Overweight - epidemiology; Preschool children; Prevalence; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tooth Injuries - epidemiology; traumatic dental injury; Brazil; preschool children; traumatic dental injury; obesity; dental trauma
• ISSN: 1600-4469; 1600-9657
• DOI: 10.1111/edt.12734

Background/Aim Children with excess weight may be more predisposed to traumatic dental injuries (TDI). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between overweight/obesity and TDI presence and severity in Brazilian preschool children. Material and Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted of 347 children aged three to five years. The main exposure was evaluated based on the body mass index (BMI). Socioeconomic‐demographic characteristics and harmful oral habits were investigated using a questionnaire sent to the parents/guardians. Oral clinical examinations were performed to determine overjet (criteria proposed by Foster and Hamilton), and the presence and severity of TDI (criteria proposed by Andreassen). Descriptive statistics were performed. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were conducted for each outcome. Results The prevalence of TDI in the sample was 41.5% and 16% of the children had enamel and dentin fractures. In the multivariate analysis, BMI and overjet were associated with the presence and severity of TDI (PR: 2.04 and 1.78, respectively) of TDI (PR: 2.27 and 2.24, respectively) (p < .001 for all associations). Conclusion Overweight/obesity was associated with both the presence and severity of TDI in early childhood.