There is an Association between Gingival Inflammation and Obesity in Japanese Male Adolescents

Background: There are few studies showing the association between obesity and gingivitis in young male adolescents. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between gingivitis and obesity in addition to life style habits among male high school students.
Materials and Methods: The participants in this study were 1,027 1st-year male high school students (15-16 years old) in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Regular health checkup and oral examination were performed. Items regarding oral health behavior and eating habits were investigated through a self-reported questionnaire. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the cross-sectional data. Moreover, 513 students who were recalled after two years were divided into 2 groups according to changes of BMI (<25 or ≥25) and their gingival condition, were investigated.
Results: Binomial logistic regression analysis showed that gingival inflammation was significantly associated with obesity (OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.08-2.95) in addition to malalignment and plaque accumulation. From this longitudinal study, a significant improvement of gingival conditions was observed in the improved group (McNemar's test, p<0.05) whereas no difference was observed in the non-improved group.
Conclusions: These results indicate that gingival inflammation was associated with obesity. Furthermore, improvement in the management of obesity might be effective for the prevention of gingival inflammation.