Oral aspects of obesity.

Obesity (Body Mass Index > or = 30 kg/m2) has a high prevalence of 15-30% among European and American populations. It is an incurable chronic disease with a considerable mortality and co-morbidity. The co-morbidity can be reduced substantially by a moderate weight loss of 5-15%. The main cause of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Therefore, the treatment starts with an energy restricted diet, a reduction of sedentary lifestyle, increased physical activity, and behavioural therapy to change eating habits. When necessary, this treatment can be followed by pharmacotherapy or surgery. Obesity is related to several aspects of oral health, such as caries, periodontitis and xerostomia. In addition, obesity may have implications for the dental treatment plan.