Effects of Obesity and Food Allergy History on the Experience of Caries Based on Medical Examinations of New Students Entering a Dental University

Abstract

 Child dental examinations have demonstrated that the development of caries is associated with obesity and mineral deficiency. However, few studies have addressed how the experience of caries in permanent adult teeth is associated with obesity and food allergy history. The objective of this study was to ascertain how the experience of caries is associated with obesity and food allergy history on the basis of medical examinations of new students at a dental university. The participants were 75 new students who entered the Faculty of Health Sciences of Osaka Dental University in 2018. Their height and weight were measured and used to calculate their body mass index. They completed a questionnaire on food allergy history and underwent a dental examination for caries by two dentists. While caries experience (≥1 tooth affected) was correlated with both obesity and milk allergy history, obesity and food allergy were not significantly correlated with each other. The present results suggest that the experience of caries is associated with obesity via the consumption of sweeteners and with milk allergy via mineral deficiency.