DOI: 10.36347/sjds.2016.v03i12.001

Pages: 312-316

Abstract: Obesity in childhood is associated with an increased risk for many adverse physical and psychosocial health outcomes. Due to more sedentary lifestyles and inadequate dietary habits, obesity has become an increasing problem in pediatrics. One of the reliable and accepted means to determine nutritional status is by Body Mass Index. Childhood Body Mass Index significantly changes with age. And it is a known fact that there is a strong correlation between BMI and dental development. This study aims to assess spacing, crowding and closed dentition in Saudi Arabian school children less than six years of age with primary dentition and its co-relation with Body Mass Index. This is a cross-sectional study involving 200 school children. This study was conducted to investigate relationship in primary dentition between spacing, crowding and closed dentition with BMI among Saudi Arabian children and to assess their correlation if any. The study included school children below 6 years of age having all deciduous teeth. Of the 200 students screened below the age group of 6 years, spacing was present in 116 (58%). 124(62%) of the 200 children had absence of closed dentition. Crowding was absent in 192 (96%) children of the total 200 children screened. In correlation between spacing and BMI, spacing was absent in 52 (62%) of children with normal BMI and 32 (38%) of the children were in underweight, overweight and obese category. Closed dentition was present in 47 (62%) of children, 29 (32%) of the children were in underweight, overweight and obese category. Crowding was present in 5 (62%) of children and 3 (38%) of the children were in underweight. Practitioners should conduct regular obesity check in children. This would allow the early detection of weight gain and further counselling. The results of this study showed a weak correlation between BMI and spacing, closed and crowded dentition.