INFLUENCE OF HYGIENIC AND DIETARY HABITS ON INCIDENCE OF DENTAL CARIES IN YOUNG NORMAL-WEIGHT AND OVERWEIGHT SCHOOLCHILDREN

Abstract

This paper presents the analysis of foreign and domestic literature on the current state of the epidemic of obesity and evidence of its association with oral disease. The aim of this study was to assess the hygienic and dietary habits of overweight and normal-weight young schoolchildren and their association with dental caries. Materials and methods. The study included 628 children aged 6-11 years studying at primary schools of Poltava. We measured anthropometric data, assessed physical development, collected anamnestic data of children and carried out clinical dental examination. The oral hygienic state was assessed by using the simplified hygienic Green-Vermillion index (1964). Results. According to the findings of anthropometric survey obtained, we found out that 32, 64% (205 children) of the children were overweight. Having analyzed the data obtained by the questionnaire, it is safe to say that there is no noticeable difference in the hygienic habits between the primary schoolchildren involved in the study. Only about 70% of them brush their teeth every day, but only 15% of children get assistance from their parents or siblings. Such data are alarming due to the fact that as young children usually cannot clean their teeth properly therefore children under 10 should be under the control or guidance of their parents when brushing the teeth. Dietary habits of the overweight and normal-weight children are significantly different. The index of hygiene in children with excess body weight was within 2.1 scores that corresponds to unsatisfactory hygiene; children with normal body weight demonstrated significantly lower indicators ranging within 1.8 scores. The results of the dental examination showed that the caries prevalence was 60.78% and 58.63% for children with normal weight and excessive weight, respectively. Those figures did not differ significantly from the indicated age group of children with excessive and normal body weight. The study of the caries intensity showed that in the normal-weight children the df + DMF index was 1.89 ± 0.01, and the overweight children had the df + DMF 1.82 ± 0.04 index: thus, no significant difference was revealed. Caries of temporary teeth in children with excessive body weight was significantly seldom detected than in the group of children with normal body weight (2.46 ± 0.05 and 2.82 ± 0.02, respectively). The results of examining children with overweight and obesity demonstrated significantly lower intensity index of complicated caries of temporary teeth (1.07 ± 0.04 and 1.28 ± 0.02, respectively). Conclusions. Consequently, there is no significant difference in the hygienic habits between normal-weight and overweight children. As for dietary habits, there is a significant difference revealed by questioning the children. There is no difference in the hygienic index in the children of these two groups. The prevalence of caries was within the normal limits. A significant difference has been found in determining the caries intensity of permanent teeth in young school children of the studied groups. It is noteworthy that lower rates of caries intensity and its complications affecting temporary teeth have been found out in the overweight children when compared with peers having normal body weight; the patterns in the growth of the caries intensity for permanent teeth in the overweight children have been determined as well. Mostly due to inadequate hygiene, lack of balanced nutrition and adherence to a diet rich in carbohydrates, young children are especially vulnerable category of dental patients.