INTELIHEALTH - Overweight children don't have more cavities, researchers say.
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania did the study. They measured the body mass index, or BMI, for 135 children. BMI is a number that doctors use to find out which children are overweight.
The researchers also looked for cavities in each child's mouth.
Children who weighed more did not have more cavities. Overall, research in this area isn't clear. In some studies, overweight children had about the same number of cavities as other children. One study found that they have fewer cavities. But other research shows they have more.
Tooth decay is an infection caused by bacteria in the mouth. The bacteria eat sugar from food, and make acid. The acid eats away at the teeth. This leads to cavities.
Some experts think that many overweight children eat a lot of sugary and starchy foods, and drink sugary sodas. So it is more likely that they would have cavities.
The University of Pennsylvania study appears in the November issue of the Journal of Dental Education.
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