The American Association of Pediatricians has acknowledged the rise in obesity in children since 1970 and has requested primary care physicians to begin blood pressure screenings as early as age 3. Some dental school clinics are following this request, noting that children taking drugs for hypertension may experience the same xerostomia as adults. Reduced salivary flow may cause dental decay and periodontal disease even in the youngest population. A study has revealed that children with high body mass index (BMI) rates had more decay and an increased risk for smooth surface caries. The association is not clear, and the higher caries rate and elevated BMI may be caused by snacking on high-carbohydrate, high-sugar foods during the average 4 hours a day children spend watching television. (The Committee on Prevention of Obesity in Children and Youth recommends no more than 2 hours of television a day.) In addition to snacking on sugary, high-carbohydrate foods, children are drinking less fluoridated water and milk, choosing to drink soda instead. The reduction in calcium intake may cause increased osteoporosis later in life, but studies indicate that teenage girls are showing an increase in bone fractures. Periodontal disease is 76% more prevalent in children with a BMI of > 30kg/m2 with a large waist circumference. Underweight children are 80% less likely to have periodontal disease than children of normal weight. Even young children need to be given options for healthy lifestyle choices in snack foods, drinks, and exercise with sedentary limitations to decrease their risk of obesity, which appears to be connected to periodontal disease.
(Source: Journal of Practical Hygiene, Volume 16, Number 6, July/August 2007)
