An evaluation of the oral and dental health status in socioeconomically disadvantaged children

Abstract Aim The aim of this study is to examine the oral and dental health status and related factors in socioeconomically disadvantaged children. Subject and methods The study consists of children aged 6–16 attending five schools located in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye. A total of 450 children are enrolled in the schools included in the study. The sample size was not calculated in the study; all children whose parents gave permission and agreed to participate in the study were included in the study. The study reached 343 children. Data was collected between April and June 2025 using the Identifying Characteristics Form and the Examination Form prepared by the World Health Organization. Data were analyzed using numbers, percentages, means, standard deviations, and chi-square tests. Results The mean age of the children was 11.5 ± 2.23, 51.6% were female, and 77% had Turkish nationality. The means of DMFT and dmft indexes were 0.46 ± 0.49 and 1.08 ± 0.72, respectively. The prevalence of caries in primary teeth was 84.2% and 37.6% in permanent teeth; 56.3% of the students had gingival bleeding, and 2.4% had oral mucosal lesions. There was a statistically significant relationship between the age, gender, school type, and nationality of children and oral and dental health status ( p < 0.05). In the study, 46.7% of children required preventive or routine treatment, 24.8% required immediate treatment, and 9.0% required emergency treatment. Conclusion The study determined that tooth decay is quite common in socioeconomically disadvantaged children. On the basis of these results, it is recommended that oral and dental health screening, education, counseling, and follow-up programs be planned for children.