Height and dental caries among 13‑year‑old adolescents in India: A sociobehavioral life course approach

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between height and dental caries among 13‑year‑old adolescents in schools of Bangalore, India.

A cross‑sectional study was undertaken on 1900 schoolchildren aged 13 years from both government and private schools of Bangalore using stratified random sampling. Demographic data; family‑related factors; and general and oral health‑related factors such as frequency of sugar consumption, dietary habits, oral hygiene practices, and dental attendance were interviewed using both open‑ended and close‑ended questions. Anthropometric measurements for height and weight were performed. Clinical examination was done and caries was recorded using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index (WHO criteria, 1997). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0, and descriptive statistics including percentages, mean, and frequencies were performed. Student’s t‑test and ANOVA were applied to find the significant differences between mean DMFT among groups. Categorical data were analyzed by Chi‑square test for differences between groups. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to find the correlation among dental caries and height and body mass index (BMI). P value was set at a statistical significance level of 0.05.

The prevalence of dental caries among the study population was 36.3% which was higher among girls as compared to boys. Dental caries was found to be significantly associated with socioeconomic status, family structure, birth order, use of oral hygiene aids, mouthrinsing, last dental visit, weight, and BMI. Height and BMI showed a strong negative correlation with dental caries.

The present study showed a significant negative correlation between height and dental caries. However, since both caries and height are a dynamic phenomenon, hence a longitudinal study exploring the possible relationship should be considered.