Body mass index and its impact on dental caries

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic disease with global epidemic spread. The worldwide prevalence of obesity is a considerable source of concern given its potential impact on morbidity, mortality, and cost of health care. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized obesity as a predisposing factor to measure chronic diseases ranging from cardiovascular diseases to cancer. Once considered a problem only in wealthiest countries, the WHO estimates show that overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries. Primary health-care providers, including dental professionals, are well positioned to address this public health problem at the patient level. Both obesity and dental caries have common determinants and require a comprehensive, integrated management approach by multidisciplinary medical teams. Dental professionals should promote healthy diets not only to prevent dental caries but also to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. Obesity and dental caries share common lifestyle factors among adolescents, regardless of the nationality and different health-care systems. Thus, it seems that dental health is becoming a global health concern and further multinational and cultural studies are needed. Improvement of dental health and general well-being of adolescents requires active collaboration between dental and general health-care providers and the implementation of health promotion strategies targeting management of both obesity and dental caries for young people using a holistic approach.