Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 19, 2025
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Poor oral hygiene and gingivitis are associated with obesity and overweight status in paediatric subjects
Roberto Franchini1, Antonella Petri, Mario Migliario
1Department of Medical Sciences, Universitá del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro, Novara, Italy.
Aim:
The association between obesity and periodontitis has been extensively investigated in adults but not in young people. Our aim is to evaluate whether overweight/obese paediatric patients have a greater chance of being affected by gingivitis than those of normal weight.
Subjects And Methods:
Ninety-eight subjects ranging between 10 and 17 years of age were classified as obese/overweight or normal weight on the basis of body mass index. Auxological data, blood pressure, insulin resistance, psychological profile, oral hygiene habits, plaque and gingival indices were collected.
Results:
Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were significantly higher in overweight/obese subjects than in the normal-weight subjects (p<0001). The overweight/obese subjects showed a worse attitude towards oral hygiene. Two-way anova revealed a significant effect of obesity status (p<0001) on the gingival index. Logistic and linear regression analyses identified gingivitis as dependent on insulin resistance and bad oral hygiene rather than on the overweight/obese status simply defined. Negative psychological features related to physical and academic self-concept were also risk factors for gingivitis probably because they were related to a generic poor self-awareness.
Conclusion:
The gingivitis observed in overweight and obese young subjects is probably due to a combination of metabolic and inflammatory profiles and neglected attitude towards oral hygiene.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
01:25Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution
01:24Obesity
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...