Abstract
Objectives
Digit ratio (2D:4D), as endocrine fingerprint, can indicate prenatal androgen exposure. It serves as an anatomical marker for various systemic diseases and a few studies relating it to oral health. The present study aims to evaluate the association between digit ratio and susceptibility to dental plaque formation.
Methods
The study was conducted on young adults aged between 18 and 25 years. Digit ratio and reproductive hormones were measured; dental plaque score and gingival index (GI) were recorded. Data were analysed using the MedCalc. v.20.
Results
Male and female participants were categorized into two groups based on their digit ratios being either above or below the calculated average (0.99 for females, 0.98 for males). Those with a digit ratio below the average had a significantly higher mean dental plaque score (p < 0.0001) than those with ratios at or above the average. However, there was no significant difference in the GI between the two groups. Reproductive hormone profiles varied significantly between the higher and lower digit ratio groups for both sexes.
Conclusions
Digit ratio may find potential to be used as an anatomical marker to identify the susceptibility to dental plaque build-up.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Dental Clinical Assistants of MAHSA University for their support.
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Research ethics: The study followed on obtaining the human ethical clearance from the Research and Management Centre of MAHSA University, Malaysia (RMC/EC30/2019).
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Informed consent: The investigators have obtained the written consents of participation from the respondents.
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Author contributions: SD, PS designed and planned the article, SD, CWN, AS, PH performed the experiments, SD, PS analysed the data, SD, CWN, AS, PS, PH wrote the article, SD, PS, PH made the final revisions. All the authors have read and approved the manuscript.
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Competing interests: The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None.
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Data availability: Data will be available from the investigators.
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