Abstract

ABSTRACT: The objective of the study was to determine the association between caries prevalence and body mass index (BMI) in preschool children in Santiago, Chile. Children aged 2 and 3 years old (n = 342) attending 16 nursery schools in Santiago, Chile were examined to record the status of dental caries using the modified criteria of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II) (International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) Coordinating Committee, 2005). BMI was calculated for each of the subjects and their nutritional state was classified as underweight, normal-weight, overweight and obesity according to the WHO. The caries prevalence (ICDAS 2-6 > 0) of the children was 45.9 % (IC 95 % 40.50 - 51.21). Data showed that none of the preschoolers were underweight. 39.1 % were classified as normal-weight (IC 95 % 33.98 – 44.38), 34.8 % as overweight (IC 95 % 29.72 – 39.86) and 26 % as obese (IC 95 % 21.34 – 30.96). Normal-weight children had a prevalence of 51.5 % of ICDAS 2-6 lesions and prevalence of 28.3 % of ICDAS 5-6 lesions. Children with overweight had prevalence of 51.4 % ICDAS 2-6 lesions and of 19.3 % ICDAS 5-6 lesions, and obese children of 39.5 % and 25.8 % respectively. Subjects with normal-weight presented a mean of ICDAS 2-6 caries lesions significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the rest of the children. In conclusion, normal-weight preschool children presented a higher prevalence of caries lesions than those with overweight and obesity. Iso-BMI was found to be associated with lower dental caries and severity. Future studies should address which specific factors related to overweight in children might be protective against dental caries.