# Association Between Dental Caries Prevalence and Body Mass Index in Children with and Without Special Needs: A Comparative Study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

## TL;DR

This study finds that children with special needs in Saudi Arabia have higher dental caries rates than others, and factors like obesity and sugar consumption increase caries risk.

## Contribution

The study compares dental caries prevalence in children with and without special needs and identifies risk factors specific to each group.

## Key findings

- Children with special needs had 2.87 times higher risk of dental caries compared to children without special needs.
- Obese children were 2.15 times more likely to have caries than normal-weight children.
- Non-fluoridated toothpaste use was associated with a 1.92 times higher risk of caries.

## Abstract

Objectives: The present study aims to compare the prevalence of dental caries between children with special needs (CSN) and children without special health care needs (CWSCN), and additionally, this study explores the association between body mass index (BMI) and dental caries in both groups. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. A total of 773 children were selected using the two-stage random sampling method (257 CSN and 516 CWSCN). The World Health Organization criteria was used to diagnose dental caries. BMI was determined by using height and weight measurements. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the relationships between dental caries prevalence (yes/no) and independent variables. Result: Special needs children had a 2.87 (95% CI: 1.56–4.03, p = 0.001) times higher risk of caries compared with CWSCN. Female children had a 1.76 (95% CI: 1.52–3.24, p = 0.024) times higher risk of caries than male children. Children who consume sugar frequently were 2.03 (95% CI: 1.73–4.08, p = 0.001) times more likely to have caries. Children with obesity were 2.15 (95% CI: 1.81–4.79, p = 0.001) times more likely to have caries compared with normal-weight children. Children who used non-fluoridated toothpaste had a 1.92 times (95% CI: 1.68–4.19, p = 0.031) higher risk of caries compared with children who used fluoridated toothpaste. Conclusions: The present study highlights the higher prevalence of dental caries among CSN compared with CWSCN and identifies several significant risk factors, including gender, parental education, sugar consumption, obesity, and the use of non-fluoridated toothpaste.