ArticleCureus2026
Inequalities in Dental Caries Among Primary Schoolchildren in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundThis cross-sectional study aims to investigate the association between socioeconomic and behavioural factors and dental caries among primary schoolchildren in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
methodsA total of 202 first-grade primary school students (mean age 6.2 years; 111 (55%) female) from public schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, participated in the study. Socioeconomic and behavioural data were collected using the World Health Organization (WHO) oral health questionnaire completed by parents, while dental caries, measured using the decayed-missing-filled teeth (dmft) index, was assessed through clinical examination following WHO criteria. Ethical approvals were obtained from King Saud University (Institutional Review Board (IRB) No. 24/1240) and King's College London (LRS/DP-23/24-40999). Logistic regression was used to assess the association between parents' education and dental caries, adjusting for age, gender, dental visits in the last year, routine dental visits, oral hygiene, and sugar consumption.
resultsThe overall caries prevalence (dmft > 0) was 85.2% (172/202), with a mean dmft score of 5.43 (SE = 0.31). The percentage of children with untreated caries in deciduous teeth was 83.7% (169/202), with a mean of 4.96 (SE = 0.281). In the logistic regression, higher maternal education was negatively associated with caries experience (odds ratio (OR): 0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.07-0.99). A dental visit within the last year was positively associated with caries experience (OR: 3.46, 95% CI: 1.25-9.64). In contrast, routine dental visits for check-ups were negatively associated with caries experience (OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08-0.90).
conclusionsMaternal education and consistent routine dental check-ups emerged as significant protective factors against dental caries. Emphasising preventive dental care and parental education may reduce the burden of caries among Saudi children.
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