Effect of Body Mass Index on Eruption Time of Permanent First Molars and Incisors among a Group of 6- 8 Year Old Iraqi School Children

Tooth Eruption is the process that involves the movement or change of position of the tooth from the deeper portion of the jaws into the oral cavity until it achieves occlusal contact with adjacent and opposing teeth. Many factors that affect the eruption time of the teeth. Nutrition is the science of food and its relationship to health. The aims of the study were to count the number of teeth erupted in 6 -8 years old children and see the effect of BMI on the eruption time and level of eruption in those children. Body mass index is an index which its use as growth indicator is also controversial but it has been widely used in the field of dentistry, especially in studies about obesity and dental caries. It's used to classify children into healthy, underweight and overweight. The total sample consisted of 50 primary school children between 6 -8 years old girls and boys. The erupted permanent incisors and first molars were recorded and their level of eruption was also recorded. Nutritional status of each child was assessed by measuring height and weight to calculate body mass index according to formula recorded by Worlds Health Organization, 2000. The higher number of erupted permanent teeth was seen in girls of 6 -7 and 7 -8 years old. Girls 7 -8 years old show highest weight values. The number of erupted teeth in healthy children was higher than other children. There was a significant difference in the number of erupted permanent teeth between the healthy and the over weighted children. The highest stage of eruption (stage 4) was seen for the mandibular central incisors, the maxillary and mandibular first molars. It can be concluded that BMI affected the eruption time of permanent first molars and incisors which was seen mostly in girls.