Childhood-related obesity and overweight are increasing concerns for the health and well-being of children. Dental caries (decay) is the most prevalent oral disease during childhood, and several studies have suggested that nutritional status and dental caries are associated in children. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the geographic distribution of childhood overweight/obesity and dental caries in a medium-sized Brazilian city. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 269 children of both genders enrolled in four public schools in the city of Alfenas. The children were clinically examined to assess cavitated dental caries and nutritional status (overweight and obesity). In addition, the GIS was used for the geospatial clustering analyses. A heat map was created by the Kemel method to estimate the concentration of the outcomes. The cavitated dental caries and overweight/obesity were also pointed out by dots on the map. However, of the 269 children, 118 were boys (43.87%) and 151 were girls (56.13%). One hundred fifty-seven children (58.4%) were classified as having “non-cavitated caries,” while 112 (41.6%) were classified as having “cavitied caries.” In the nutritional status assessment, 204 children (75.84%) were classified as “eutrophic,” while 65 children (24.16%) were classified as “overweight/obesity,” A geographical correlation of dental caries with overweight/obesity may exist in the northeast and southwest areas. In conclusion, a geographical concordance between the dental caries and the occurrence of overweight/obesity among the schoolchildren from Alfenas may exist in some areas. Future studies are necessary.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution profile of childhood bruxism using Geographic Information System in the city of Alfenas, in southwest Brazil. The study included schoolchildren of both sex attending public schools in the city of Alfenas - Minas Gerais, Brazil. During clinical examination, the presence or absence of bruxism for each child was recorded. For statistical analysis, Chi-square test and t test was used to compare sex and age distribution according to the groups, with an established alpha of 5%. A Geographic Information System was used to perform the geoprocessing procedures. The home addresses were geocoded on a map to apply the kernel density estimator. The final sample includes 353 children, in which 44 presented signs of bruxism. Age and gender were not associated with bruxism (p>0.05). The spatial analysis of the distribution of childhood bruxism in the city of Alfenas indicated an occurrence of a hotspot. In conclusion, there is an intraurban differentials in childhood bruxism in the city.