[Child's weight as a risk factor for early childhood caries]

Was to reveal possible correlation between child's birth weight, BMI at examination, dental caries prevalence and intensity.

The study comprised 220 healthy children aged 3-6 born mature and attending nursery schools in Khimky city (Moscow region, Russia). Data on birth weight were extracted from a healthcare reports database, current height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated and interpreted according to WHO criteria. Calibrated pediatric dentists performed oral examination registering the dmft index.

Children suffering from dental caries at the age of 3-6, have lower birth weight and struggle to put it on later in life. This results in higher proportion of children with underweight. Among children with caries 69.2% had BMI lower than 15^th percentile, and 28.3% had very low IMT (lower than 5^th percentile) vs 5.6% in the group without caries (p<0.05). The mechanisms and the direction of this correlation are unclear.

There is a necessity for further investigations on the role of various factors associated with body weight and alimentary status in the development of the early childhood caries.