Correlations of the DMFT Index with Socioeconomic Status, Dietary Habits, and Lifestyle Factors in Children and Adolescents in a German Dental Practice in North Rhine-Westphalia

AIM: To examine the relationship of Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) with socioeconomic status (SES), sugar intake, and oral hygiene habits. METHODS: Dental charts of 76 adolescents aged 12–17 years, who attended a private practice in Erkelenz from 2012 to 2022, were reviewed. Baseline DMFT was linked to parental education, household income, insurance status, frequency of sugary snacks or drinks, tooth brushing, and preventive visits. Associations were analyzed with t-tests/ANOVA and Pearson or Spearman correlations; cases with missing variables were excluded. RESULTS: Lower SES predicted higher DMFT (mean 3.4 vs 1.8; p < 0.05). Daily sugar consumption markedly increased DMFT compared to occasional intake (3.7 vs 1.6; p < 0.05). Brushing at least twice daily and attending at least one check-up per year were associated with reduced DMFT (1.9 vs 3.5; p < 0.05). Girls reported better hygiene routines; however, mean DMFT did not differ by sex (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic disadvantage, frequent sugar exposure, and inconsistent oral hygiene independently increase caries risk in adolescents. Targeted health education and regular preventive visits could reduce SES-related inequalities and lower DMFT These findings merit confirmation in larger prospective, multicentre studies.