[Caries in deprived areas 1. Adults]

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociodental Research

Background:

• Limited epidemiologic data exists on oral health among diverse cultural groups in Dutch deprived areas.
• Understanding caries experience in vulnerable populations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess caries experience in less-educated adults from deprived areas in the Netherlands.
• To compare oral health outcomes between these individuals and a reference population from 's-Hertogenbosch.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1,597 less-educated respondents from deprived areas.
• Comparison of caries experience, focusing on filled surfaces, with a reference group from 's-Hertogenbosch.

Main Results:

• The reference population exhibited higher caries experience, primarily due to more filled surfaces.
• Respondents from deprived areas with non-Dutch cultural affiliations had significantly lower caries experience, linked to fewer filled surfaces.
• Statistical significance in filled-surface differences was observed across most age categories.

Conclusions:

• Less-educated adults in deprived areas, especially those with non-Dutch cultural backgrounds, demonstrate lower caries experience than a reference group.
• The 'extension for prevention' strategy in caries management may explain the higher number of filled surfaces in the reference population.