Abstract
Obesity is a growing, global health problem. Last year (2010) there were more than 43 million overweight children (under the age of five) in the world. The aim of this study was to determine if oral health is affected in overweight children. The authors chose to study publications regarding oral health in overweight children between the ages of 2-19 years. The material was collected from the medical databases PubMed and Science Direct. These results are based on seventeen scientific medical reports.
Several studies show that overweight children have more decayed teeth and a greater risk for developing caries than children with normal weight. A small number of studies found a correlation between fewer decayed teeth and overweight children compared to children with normal weight. Another result showed an association between obesity in children that can lead to early tooth eruption and a greater risk for developing periodontitis after the age of 16.
More research is required to determine associations between obesity in children and its connections to oral health conditions. It is important for dentists and dental hygienists to be alert to child patients with obesity, as they might have an increased risk for caries, periodontitis and early tooth eruption.
Date of Award | 2011-Jun-22 |
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Original language | Swedish |
Supervisor | Sara Henricsson (Supervisor) & Stefan Renvert (Examiner) |
Educational program
- Study Programme in Oral Health
University credits
- 15 HE credits
Swedish Standard Keywords
- Dentistry (30216)
Keywords
- caries
- children
- obesity
- oral health
- overweight