(PR08) Obesity and Demographics Influence on Periapical Lesions, Dental Caries, and Oral Health in Adults, A Cross-Sectional Study

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 2 billion people around the world who are either overweight or obese. That number is growing, including in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,, where it is a major public health issue. Rising dental expenditures in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia present a financial and economic burden on the 16.5% of Saudis who spend over 10% of their income on costly, uninsured endodontic procedures, such as endodontic root canals or root filled teeth (RFT) possibly associated with the rise of obesity and periapical chronic lesions affecting hard and soft tissues surrounding teeth resulting in bone loss, microorganisms, and toxins released into the pulp. This cross-sectional observational study conducted at a dental school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia studied the correlation between obesity and RFTs and PLs and other demographics, such as gender, age, educational level, and waist circumference. Data was collected from 317 patients visiting endodontic clinics and was quantitatively and statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS 24 software. The study found strong and positive correlations between obesity, waist circumference, age, and male gender with root-filled teeth and periapical lesions, and an insignificant correlation with educational levels. The researchers recommended public health policymakers tax sugary foods and soft drinks, and increase health insurance rates for obese individuals.