Comparison of two visual methods for detecting caries among obese and non-obese children

Overweight/obese children are associated with lower caries experience than normal-weight children/adolescents

AIM

To compare (a) enamel carious (EC) and dentin carious (DC) lesions and (b) caries risk, between normal-weight (NW) and overweight/obese (OW) children/adolescents.

DESIGN

In this cross-sectional study, 91 participants aged 6-12 years were classified according to the body mass index (BMI): NW (n = 50) and OW (n = 41). Caries experience was evaluated using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) with two thresholds: "EC/DC" (ICDAS 1-3/4-6) and "DC" (ICDAS 4-6). Caries risk was determined by the Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) system. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association among OW, caries thresholds, and caries risk.

RESULTS

Caries experience was similar for both groups at the "EC/DC" threshold (P = .477) and higher for the NW group at the "DC" threshold (P = .009). For CAMBRA, caries risk classification was similar for both groups (P = .082). The logistic regression showed the OW group was less likely to exhibit radiographically visible proximal carious lesions (odds ratio [OR] of 0.330, P = .019), thick biofilm visible on the tooth surface (OR = 0.360, P = .019), high caries risk (OR = 0.367, P = .039), and moderate-to-high caries levels (OR = 0.190, P = .022).

CONCLUSION

OW children/adolescents had lower caries experience, at both ICDAS thresholds, and lower caries risk, compared to NW children/adolescents.

Are dental caries and overweight/obesity interrelated? A cross-sectional study in rural and urban preschool children

BACKGROUND

Obesity and dental caries are two distinct diseases which are somewhat preventable through a common risk factor approach, as they have common underlying etiological factor, i.e., high sugar intake.

AIM

The aim of the study is to examine the correlation between dental caries and body mass index (BMI) in rural and urban areas of Hisar (Haryana, India) and intercompare their correlations.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study in rural and urban preschool children of Hisar, Haryana.

METHODS

A total of 500 urban and 500 rural children (age group 3-6 years) were selected from schools of Hisar and the values of their mean BMI and mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) (using the World Health Organization criteria, 2005) were compared using independent sample t-test among different groups and subgroups. Pearson correlation coefficients between dmft and BMI were calculated for groups and subgroups and intercompared.

RESULTS

Males had significantly higher BMI than females (P < 0.05) and urban preschool children had significantly higher BMI than rural preschool children (P < 0.05). Mean deft was statistically non-significant across the genders and both geographical areas. Non-significant negative correlation was observed between dmft and BMI across different areas and genders. The overall prevalence of obesity/overweight was 20.2% (25.6% urban preschool children; 14.8% rural preschool children). More rural preschool children were underweight (23.8%) than urban preschool children (14.4%) with the overall prevalence of underweight being 19.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no significant correlation between dental caries and BMI in preschool children of rural and urban areas. Obesity/overweight was more prevalent in urban preschool children, whereas rural preschool children predominantly were underweight.

Evaluation of the Association between Menstrual Cycle Irregularity and Dental Pain or Chewing Discomfort in Women before Menopause

This study was performed to assess the relationship between menstrual irregularity and dental pain or chewing discomfort in women before menopause, using nationally representative data. This study analyzed 4595 participants who were ≥19 years or older, and did not have missing values for outcome variables from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Tooth pain was considered present if the participant felt throbbing discomfort, pain, or sensitivity when eating hot or cold food or drinking hot or cold beverages. Self-reported oral chewing discomfort was obtained. Adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for tooth pain in the individuals with menstrual cycle irregularity were 1.30 (1.05, 1.62) after adjustment for age, body mass index, drinking, smoking, income, exercise, stress, metabolic syndrome, and the frequency of tooth brushing. Adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for chewing discomfort in the individuals with menstrual cycle irregularity were 1.33 (1.03, 1.72) after adjustment. The association between menstrual irregularity and dental pain or chewing discomfort in women before menopause was proven—after adjusting for confounding factors—by multiple logistic regression analyses. Menstrual cycle irregularity may be considered a potential risk indicator for dental pain or chewing discomfort in Korean women before menopause.

Caries reporting in studies that used the International Caries Detection and Assessment System: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To explore how caries was reported in studies that employed the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS).

METHODS

A systematic database search up to August 2017 was carried out using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane library and ISI Web of Science electronic databases. Only studies that used the ICDAS for dental caries examinations were included. Studies were excluded if the examination was done only for the validation or the calibration of the ICDAS and/or if the examination was not done for the whole dentition. Measures used to report caries were considered.

RESULTS

A total of 126 papers met the inclusion criteria. Forty-four different synthesis measures were used to report caries. Most of the studies used a combination of multiple measures to report patient's caries level. These reporting measures cluster into four main groups: the number of individual ICDAS scores (ie, total counts of every score); the number of decayed surfaces/teeth (ie, total counts of combined caries scores for surfaces or teeth); measures of caries experience (ie, total counts of combined caries scores, filled and/or missing surfaces or teeth); and measures of central tendency and dispersion. The number of decayed surfaces and individual ICDAS scores were the most commonly used measures. Three studies used mean ICDAS score (ie, total ICDAS scores divided by the number of teeth), two used mean ICDAS score of carious teeth (ie, total ICDAS scores divided by the number of carious teeth) and two used the maximum ICDAS score (ie, highest ICDAS score recorded). The total ICDAS score was used only once. Many studies synthesized from the ICDAS the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth/surfaces (dmft/DMFT, dmfs/DMFS) as a measure of caries experience.

CONCLUSIONS

There are variations among studies in the utilization of the system to summarize caries. Most studies presented caries data using the categorical characteristics of the ICDAS.