Obesity of different degree comprises individuals with a body mass index BMI) of 30 or more and is often combined with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, whereas overweight below 30 is not. Obesity has a hereditary component combined with environmental factors such as unhealthy food and lack of exercise. In addition, fatty tissue contains inflammatory mediators causing increased risk of infection, seen as post surgery or nosocomial infections. These conditions also indicate the possibility of a relationship between adiposity and infectious oral diseases such as periodontitis. A majority of clinical investigations show a connection of this kind, although researchers hesitate to claim a causative relationship because of difficulties in the identification of confounding behavioral factors.

There are also clinical investigations indicating a connection between adipose children and dental caries. However, other investigations fail to show such relationship. A meta-analysis of a number of investigations in this area indicates that a small possible exception is limited to the permanent dentition of older children. The conflicting results indicate that there is no causal connection between adiposity and dental caries, both being the result of dietary and socioeconomic factors.

Fedme og sykdom.
Jacobsen J.
Nor Tannlegeforen Tid. 2020; 130: 404–9