Material and methods: The study group included forty healthy children attending routine orthodontic treatment. Birth weight data was obtained from a questionnaire given prior to treatment. The group was divided into two sub-groups. Children weighing at birth 3kg or less (“low birth weight”), and children weighing over 3kg at birth. Oral status measurements included – periodontal and gingival status and enamel demineralization. Data was recorded before orthodontic treatment (internal control), every 3 months and up to 9 months into treatment.
Results: Oral status of the two internal untreated control sub-groups showed no differences. The plaque index (PI) in the “low birth weight group” – measured at 9 months into treatment was significantly higher than the PI in the counter sub-group. Gingival index (GI) and enamel demineralization measured at the same time point were higher in the “low birth weight group” (near significance).
Conclusions: In this random sample of healthy children – 3kg was the cut-off weight which differentiated between the two sub-groups. Our findings suggest that birth weight lower than 3kg is a predisposing factor for poorer oral hygiene status during orthodontic treatment. We recommend that data collected prior to orthodontic treatment should include birth weight and other related information. During treatment strict oral hygiene regimen should be emphasized in “low birth weight” children.