Trauma
Eric D. Wood, DMD
Pediatric Dental Resident
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Zachary L. Houser, DMD
Program Director
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Kaeli Samson, MA, MPH
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Zachary L. Houser, DMD
Program Director
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Purpose: Several studies have been conducted over the years investigating Traumatic Dental Injuries (TDIs) and their association with body mass index (BMI); however, the majority of these studies have focused solely on the permanent dentition. This study is designed to determine if an association exists between obesity and TDIs of primary and permanent dentition using a matched-cohort design.
Methods: Dental records were reviewed for 100 patients under the age of 19 who sustained a TDI from August 2015 - April 2020 and were seen by pediatric dental residents. Data for age-and-sex-matched controls were collected from patients seen in the pediatric dental clinic on the same day as the case patient (or following day if no matches were found) for a one-to-one case control match.
Results: Patients with TDIs had a significantly lower median BMI percentile (60.0 IIQR: 25.0, 84.0)) relative to age/sex/day-matched controls (68.5 (IQR: 48.5, 92.0)), P=.0468. There was a significant association between case/control status and insurance (P=0.0009). The highest proportions within each group were patients with Medicaid, who comprised 45% of the case group and 73% of the control group.
Conclusions: Patients with TDIs had a significantly lower median BMI percentile in this study, however this may be confounded by the difference in insurance status between the two groups. This may be due in part to higher activity level and thus, more exposure to activities that may lead to a TDI. Future studies may want to case-match insurance status to help adjust for potential confounding effects.