Study suggests low and high BMIs increase dental decay risk
A new study suggests that people who are underweight or obese are more likely to have signs of dental decay.
Researchers at the Department of Oral Medicine at Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center in Israel found that people who have a low or high BMI have more decayed teeth on average than those who have a BMI between 18.5 and 29.9.
People with a healthy BMI and those who had a BMI between 25 and 29.9, which is classed as overweight, had an average of 2.1 decayed teeth. People who had a BMI of under 19.5, which is considered underweight, and those with a BMI over 29.9, which is classed as obese, had an average of 2.4 decayed teeth.
During the study, researchers analysed data from almost 67,000 Israeli soldiers.
Dr Galit Almoznino, study author, said that the findings highlight the impact of body weight on dental health. She added that the project underlines the importance of evaluating comorbidities and directing more resources towards improving the health of those who are under or overweight.
Statistics show that obesity rates are rising in Israel. Over 60% of men and 55% of women aged between 24 and 60 are overweight or obese. In England, 25.9% of adults are obese and a further 37.9% are overweight. In both nations, numbers are trending upwards.
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