Introduction. The term dental caries is used to describe the results - the sign and symptoms of a localized chemical dissolution of the tooth surface caused by metabolic events taking place in the biofilm (dental plaque) covering the affected area. Dental caries is caused by dietary carbohydrates fermentation and bacteria deteriorating dental hard tissues. It is a biofilm-mediated, sugar-driven, multifactorial, dynamic disease that results in the phasic demineralization and re-mineralization of dental hard tissues. Dental caries is a chronic condition; therefore progression is slow and can be observed in root caries and coronal parts of permanent and primary teeth. Several studies indicate that children and adults are found at risk with this disease in both developing and developed countries. The prevalence  of dental caries in Pakistan is 51%. A study in Saudi Arabia demonstrated that 68.9% of school children are suffered from dental caries. Literature shows many factors associated with dental caries, including body mass index, which is one of the important parameters to estimate the dental caries.

Objectives. This study was aimed to study the distribution of dental caries of Pakistani children, and to estimate the dental caries using Poisson regression model.

Methodology. STATA 12.0 MP was used for statistical computation. Poisson regression was used to estimate the dental caries and then multiple linear regression analysis was done based on estimated dental caries of Poisson regression model.

Results. In the present study, a total of 3,358 children were examined for dental caries. Fifty two percent of the participants were females and 64.1% were from KPK province of Pakistan. This study showed mean count of dental caries of Pakistani children as 2.18±2.49 units and body mass index was 16.92±3.49kg/m². Distribution of dental caries was found positively skewed. Poisson regression showed that one unit change in body mass index gives 0.002 unit increase in dental caries count on average.

Conclusion. This study concludes that obesity gives positive association with dental caries.

dental caries, body mass index, Poisson regression, linear regression.