Correlation of the Age of Eruption of Teeth with the Body Mass Index among School Children

Abstract

The timing of tooth eruption is influenced by various factors, especially the nutritional status of the individual. Body Mass Index gives an indication about the nutritional status of the child. Hence this study was done to determine the correlation between the mean age of eruption of permanent teeth and the Body Mass Index among school children in Thiruvananthapuram. A cross sectional study was done among the students of Thiruvananthapuram. Two thousand nine hundred students (males and females) were included in the study. Only those with the documentary proof of their date of birth were included in the study. For statistical purposes, only completed year was taken into consideration. Random sampling was done by selecting the alternate students from the attendance register. The dental examination was made in the adequate light with the aid of a mouth mirror and a probe. The details of eruption were observed and charted according to the Modified System of Federation Dentaire Internationale (Modified F.D.I). There were 1568 males and 1357 females out of the total sample of 2925 children. The mean age of eruption of mandubular central incisors, mandibular lateral incisors, maxillary second premolars and maxillary first molars were found to have statistical significant difference among the different categories of BMI status. Among the different categories of BMI, Underweight children were found to have late eruption of teeth compared to overweight children.