Assessment of the Consequences of Dental Caries on the Body Mass Index in Children using the Pufa Index

Abstract

Introduction: Dental caries continues to exert a significant influence on children’s overall health and the effect of untreated dental caries impacts dental health more than the presence of caries itself. Aim: To investigate the effect of consequences of untreated dental caries on Body Mass Index (BMI) in children using PUFA/ pufa index (pulp involvement, ulceration, fistula, and abscess). Materials and Methods: A total of 400 school children aged 5-12 years were divided into two groups-5 to 8 years (Group 1) and 9 to 12 years (Group 2). Selected children were examined for the presence or absence of pulpal involvement, ulceration, fistula and abscess using the PUFA/pufa index, and further subdivided into with PUFA/pufa> 0 and PUFA/pufa =0. Children’s BMI score was calculated using weight in kg and height in meters. BMI scores for children with PUFA/pufa=0 and PUFA/pufa>0 were compared with independent t-test. Correlation between BMI scores and PUFA/pufa score was analysed by using Pearson’s correlation coefficient for both age groups. Results: Mean BMI score of children with PUFA/pufa>0 in both the age groups (14.69 and 14.93) was significantly lesser than the BMI score of children with PUFA/pufa=0 (21.69 and 22.57), (p<0.001). Correlation between BMI and PUFA/pufa score was highly significant in the Group 1 (r=-0.345) whereas, that in the Group 2 was significant (r=-0.234). Conclusion: Children with the consequences of longstanding dental caries had significantly negative effect on BMI. This negative effect was higher in younger children as compared to the older age group.

Keywords

• oral health
• body weight
• untreated dental decay