ABO Blood Group as a Potential Risk Factor for Dental Caries: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction:  Dental caries is a multifactorial disease that affects people of all ages due to a complex interplay between genetic and environmental variables. The significance of genetics in an individual's vulnerability to caries has recently been explored in scientific literature. One such inherited genetic characteristic is blood group. The relationship between blood type, lifestyle, and dental caries may shed light on the above idea. Aim:  To explore into blood type as a possible risk factor for the development of dental caries. Material   And   Methods:  Blood samples from 39 people of the index ages (5, 12, 15, 35-44, and 60-74 years) were taken, and blood grouping was done before oral screening to determine the DMFT index. A self-administered questionnaire was used to conduct a complete diet analysis. SPSS software was used to do statistical analysis on the data. Results:   In different age groups, there was a strong link between different blood types, DMFT index, and diet. Conclusion:  The current study's results demonstrate that genetic and epigenetic variables play a significant influence in the development of dental caries. As a result, blood groups can be utilised to detect if a certain diet is associated with the development of dental caries. Keywords: Dental caries, ABO antigens, Blood group, DMFT index, risk predictors