OBESITY AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS AND THEIR ORAL HEALTH

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate obesity among dental students and their oral health status, and to determine any association between body weight and dental caries.

Method: 150 people from 4th and 5th grade students in the 2015-2016 academic year, Marmara University Faculty of Dentistry volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional study. Their oral examination and anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waistline) were done by the same dentist. The volunteers eating, smoking, exercising and brushing habits were collected with a questionnaire. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Marmara University. Dental status was evaluated using decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMF-T). Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated by dividing weight in kg by height squared (kg/m2), and classified in four groups; underweight (<18.50), normal (18.50-24.99), overweight (25.00-29.99), and obese (≥30.00) according to WHO criteria. Males and females were evaluated according to waistline measurements (female; normal 80cm, increased risk 80-87, high risk≥88. Male; normal<94, increased risk 94-101, high risk≥102). Data obtained during the survey were stored in a database (SPSS) and tested for possible statistically differences using the Chi-square test, Anova variance analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. p value<0,05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The students were 73(48.7%) male and 77(51.3%) female. The mean age of students was 24.1(22- 26). The mean DMF-T score was 5 (D:1.3, M:0.4, F:3.3), and 83(55.3%) students had a DMFT score above 4. The high DMF-T scores were mainly filled teeth. 138(92%) of the students reported brushing their teeth once a day. Distribution of the students with underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese according to BMI was 10(6.7%), 110 (73.3%), 24(16%) and 6(4%) respectively. In addition, distribution of the students with normal, increased risk and high risk according to waistline measurements was 126(84%), 17 (11.3%) and 7(4.7%) respectively. As expected, BMI and anthropometric measurements were significantly different between males and females (p<0.001). The number of obese students in all groups was low. DMF-T was higher in the normal weight group than the obese group. The risk for dental caries was not found to be significantly associated with BMI or waistline measurements (p>0.1, r=-0.026, r=-0.051 respectively).

Conclusion: We conclude that there is no association between tooth decay and weight in dental students. We speculate that their intellectual levels were high enough to prevent and preserve their oral and general health.