This study aimed to identify the association between BMI and dental caries in 6–12-year-old children. This cross-sectional study was carried out among 6–12-year-old school children and their parents. The data on Body Mass Index (BMI) and dental caries for study participants were included in the study. The association between BMI and dental caries was evaluated using SPSS software. The study comprises 400 school children (157 boys and 243 girls) aged an average of 8.9 years. The overall prevalence of dental caries was 84% in primary dentition and 75% in permanent dentition, with a mean DMFT and dmft (decayed, missing and filled teeth) of 2.85 and 5.48, respectively. There was a significant association witnessed between mothers’ education and BMI status. A significant association was also evident between decayed (d), missing (m) and filled (f) teeth and overall dmft with different BMI categories (p < 0.05). There was no significant association evident between DMFT and each category of BMI (p > 0.05). The dmft and DMFT within the four BMI categories by one-way ANOVA were highly significant (p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis helped us identify the relationship among the various categories of BMI with dental caries. There was a positive association evident between the BMI of the children and dental caries.

Aims and Objectives:To assess the early effect of oral health education on oral health knowledge of primary and intermediate school students of private schools by utilizing pre/post questionnaires data from oral health educational projects in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Second, to examine topic-specific knowledge differences between genders, nationalities, and educational levels of the students.Materials and Methods:Cross-sectional oral health educational data of private school students (n = 1279) in primary and intermediate levels were extracted from the King Salman Centre for Children's Health (KSCCH) projects undertaken by Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy. Student's pre- and post-test data were analyzed for changes in oral health knowledge. Overall knowledge score and topic-specific knowledge scores were calculated and the differences between gender, nationality, and educational level were examined using Mann–Whitney U-test. Pre/post change in the oral health knowledge was evaluated by Wilcoxon's sign rank test.Results:Immediately, after oral health educational session high knowledge score category showed an increase of 25.6%, medium and low knowledge score categories showed −3.2% and −22.3% decrease, and this change was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Comparison of correct responses between pre- and post-test showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in all the questions except for the timing of tooth brushing. Females, non-Saudi nationals and students in primary level of education showed significantly high mean knowledge (P < 0.001) at posttest assessment.Conclusion:Primary and intermediate private school student's overall, and topic-specific oral health knowledge improved immediately after educational intervention provided by KSCCH. High knowledge gain was observed among female non-Saudi primary school students.

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Integrating technological tools with clinical visual examination for caries detection and diagnosis can improve preventative measures in dentistry, resulting in decreased treatment expenses and reduced time and costs associated with testing potential anticaries agents. This article provides an overview of the conventional and new emerging modern technologies that can assist dental professionals in the early detection and diagnosis of dental caries. These technologies aid in assessing the progression of carious lesions and monitoring them quantitatively or qualitatively over time. Traditional techniques (visual, tactile, and radiographic) have limitations in diagnosing early proximal caries accurately. Novel methods like fluorescence and transillumination, as well as advanced tools like OCT (optical coherence tomography), laser fluorescence, and QLF (quantitative light-induced fluorescence), are effective for early caries detection. Optical methods like fluorescence and transillumination are particularly successful in identifying initial caries stages. Moreover, this review highlights the clinical relevance of these methods and discusses potential future technologies like terahertz imaging and artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches.

Oral health is fundamental to overall well-being, profoundly influences life, and impacts general health conditions. Teachers can play a key role in developing and executing oral-related preventive schemes. A cross-sectional survey was performed among 600 female private primary school teachers in Riyadh, KSA. Teachers were informed about the study by their school academic guidance. Informed consent was obtained from them before they answered the survey. The survey revealed that most (190) school teachers answered dental plaque is the staining of teeth (31.7%). One hundred sixty-eight (28%) teachers mentioned that dental plaque could cause dental caries, and 115 (19.2%) said that dental plaque leads to gum inflammation. The majority (482) of teachers (81.2%) visited the dentist every six months. In addition, teachers said that the Best way of cleaning teeth is 247 (41.2%) by brushing with toothpaste. Brushing prevents dental caries 531 (88.5%). Most school teachers brushed their teeth twice 60.5% (363) daily for one minute 38.2% (229). When enquired about brushing timing, most participants said they brushed their teeth before breakfast 383 (63.8%). The study results indicate poor oral health awareness among the primary educators in Riyadh, KSA; therefore, we need to improve oral health knowledge by improving the educational system program and providing demonstrations.