What do systematic reviews say?

Higher BMI (continuous / per-unit increment) vs Lower BMI (continuous reference / per 1 kg/m2 decrement)

Pooling studies that used BMI as a continuous variable showed no significant association between per-unit BMI and childhood dental caries (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.03; I2=3.5%); ungraded.

• Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Dental examinations of children; 15 countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania · Continuous BMI, direct pooling (studies reporting BMI as a continuous variable)
  OR 1.01 [0.99, 1.03]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Dental examinations of children; 15 countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania · Non-linear dose-response (restricted cubic splines)
  Fig. 5: significant non-linear (restricted cubic spline) dose-response between BMI and childhood dental caries; relative risk rises at higher BMI (curve reaches ~2.4-2.9 at BMI 30-35) and is also elevated among…
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported
• Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Dental examinations of children; 15 countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania · Linear dose-response (GLST, per 1 kg/m2 BMI increment)
  OR 1.01 [1.00, 1.03]
  16 studies
  GRADE not reported