Dental caries prevalence among elementary school students and its relationship with body mass index and oral hygiene in Ardabil in 2019

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Iranian population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases. Politicians and practitioners should be aware of the dramatic increase in obesity and its subsequent complications to prevent associated health risks. This systematic review aimed to provide better insight into the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Iranian population.

METHOD

An evaluation was conducted on all published observational studies from both national (SID, Irandoc, Iranmedex) and international (Web of Knowledge, PubMed, Scopus) sources, which reported the prevalence of overweight/obesity among normal population samples, between January 2012 and December 2021.

RESULT

A total of 152 eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. Of the 152 selected studies, 74 reported the prevalence of overweight/obesity in patients aged ≤ 18 years, and 61 studies in adults. In the rest of the articles (17 studies), the results were reported for a combination of these age groups. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Iran was estimated at 20.1 (95% CI 17.92-22.30) and 13.44 (95% CI 11.76-15.22), respectively. This percentage (95% CI) was 11.71 (10.98-12.46) for overweight and 8.08 (7.02-9.22) for obesity in those aged ≤ 18 years, and 35.26 (32.61-37.99) for overweight and 21.38 (19.61-23.20) for obesity in those aged > 18 years. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in the entire population was 35.09% (95% CI 31.31-38.98).

CONCLUSION

As obesity is on the rise in Iran, we should seek both weight loss strategies and ways to control comorbidities associated with high BMI.

The relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI among elementary students in Iran

Background

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases among children worldwide. Stress and body mass index are also amongst the arguable risk factors which will affect people considerably. They include biological (hormones and blood sugar), socio-economic, and environmental factors and also lifestyle. In the present study, the relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI in children was therefore investigated.

Materials and methods

This was a cross-sectional study of a descriptive-analytical type. A total of 350 students who were referred to the clinic of the faculty of dentistry at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences during 2021-2022 were selected through convenience sampling method to participate in the study. First, the students underwent a dental examination after being measured on their height and weight. Then, two questionnaires; namely, demographic information and Children's Stress Symptom Scale (CSSS) of Scherer and Ryan-Wenger were completed by the children's parents through self-reporting. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23 and then descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied.

Results

The mean BMI of the participating students was in the normal range. The prevalence of tooth decay among participants was 76.9% (269 people). The mean and standard deviation of stress scores was 6.85 ± 4.01 out of 26, which was at a low level. Also, the mean and standard deviation of the BMI were 22.78 ± 5.28, which was within the normal range. The results of the logistic regression showed that the variables of "father's level of education," "family's economic status," "the experience of the toothache during the past year," "the oral health status," "the frequency of tooth brushing," "flossing," "stress," and "BMI" were influential factors in tooth decay (P <0.05).

Conclusion

Students who had improper BMI, more stress, less educated fathers, families with poor economic status, the experience of toothache within the past year, poor oral health status, and those who used toothbrushes and floss to a minimal degree suffered more tooth decay. Therefore, it is necessary that we pay more attention to these students in designing and implementing educational programs to prevent tooth decay.

Caries prevalence of the first permanent molar and associated factors among second-grade students in Xiangyun of Yunnan, China: A cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the caries prevalence of the first permanent molar (FPM) and the associated factors among second-grade students in Xiangyun of Yunnan, China.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Xiangcheng Town, Xiangyun County, China, from September to November 2020. The methodology recommended by WHO was used for the dental examination. All the parents were required to complete a questionnaire to collect information on children's family background, dietary habits, oral health behaviors and parental oral health-related knowledge. The tests of significance used were the chi-square test. The association between dental caries prevalence and its associated factors was investigated using logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Data of 1,295 second graders consisting of 665 males and 630 females were analyzed. The caries prevalence of FPM was 47.6%, and the mean DMFT was 1.11 ± 1.394 in this sample. Among all the children with caries, the filling rate is meager, 2.6%. There were statistically significant differences in the caries prevalence of FPM among age groups. No significant difference existed between the sexes. Logistic regression analysis showed that the most significantly associated factors were: consuming desserts at least once a day, no fluoride varnish application experience, worse parental perception of children's oral health status, and incorrect parental knowledge of whether decayed primary teeth need treatment.

CONCLUSION

Caries prevalence of FPM among second-grade schoolchildren in Xiangyun was considerably higher than the average prevalence nationwide in China. As China aims to reduce dental caries to <25% of 12-year-old children in 2030, the local government of remote regions like Xiangyun needs to do much more to achieve this goal. Results of this study could provide a framework for ongoing and future public oral health programs and policy planning in Xiangyun, with particular attention to early preventive and therapeutic measures.