Exploring the association between BMI and dental caries in 6–9-year-old children in Damascus, Syria: a cross-sectional study

Dental caries is highly prevalent among Syrian children aged 6-9 years and shows significant associations with socioeconomic disadvantage, unhealthy dietary habits, poor oral hygiene, and increased BMI. Nevertheless, due to the cross-sectional design of the study, these associations do not establish a causal relationship between BMI and dental caries. Despite this limitation, the findings underscore the urgent need for integrated public health strategies to address both oral health and childhood obesity.