Caries and obesity: A cross-sectional study of populations and microbiology

Caries and obesity in children are public health concerns. Although the relationship between the two non-communicable diseases has been studied for many years, the results are still controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between caries and obesity in children aged 7-12 years old in Jinzhou, China.1864 children were selected for cluster sampling clinical study. All the selected students completed a questionnaire, recorded their height and weight, conducted oral examinations, and collected decayed⁃missing⁃filled teeth (dmft , DMFT) information. Forty children were randomly divided into the following groups: high caries (HC) + obese, caries-free (CF) + obese, HC+non-obese (NO), CF+NO. The diagnosis of dental caries and obesity is based on the standards of the World Health Organization. Collect saliva and feces samples. Multivariate analysis of variance, chi-square test, and multiple linear regression were used to evaluate the data, and 16s rDNA V3-V4 was used to detect microorganisms in saliva and fecal samples. The prevalence rates of dental caries, overweight, and obesity were determined, with significant associations found between demographic factors and BMI. Factors such as dietary structure, frequency of specific food consumption, parents' educational level, exercise habits, and sedentary behavior were linked to the decayed-missing-filled index of teeth. Microbiota analysis revealed differences in microbial composition between caries and non-caries, obese and non-obese groups in both saliva and feces samples. Dietary factors, particularly the consumption of sugary foods, along with exercise frequency, sedentary behaviors, and parental educational levels, are recognized as common risk factors for caries and obesity. Notably, the prevalence of caries in primary teeth is inversely correlated with BMI, whereas the rate of caries in permanent teeth is directly proportional to BMI.16S rDNA sequencing results suggesting that prevotella may act as a co-pathogenic bacterium in the development of both conditions.