Dental caries prevalence and treatment needs of 5- to 12-year-old children in relation to area-based income and immigrant background in Greece

Objectives: To investigate the association between certain socio‐demographic characteristics and dental health status of 5‐ to 12‐year‐old children attending public kindergarten and primary schools in Piraeus, Greece. Methods: Gender, age, place of residence, immigrant background and area‐based income were associated with dental caries prevalence, treatment needs and oral hygiene level in 5,116 children. Results: The mean number of decayed, missing and filled deciduous teeth (dmft) and Unmet Restorative Treatment Needs Index (UTN) at 6‐year‐olds were 1.54 and 84.6% respectively, and the DMFT and UTN at 12‐year‐olds were 1.35 and 71.8%. Caries experience/severity significantly increased with age, whereas treatment needs and oral hygiene level decreased (P < 0.001). Immigrant background and low area‐based income was associated with poorer oral health outcomes. The above associations retained statistical significance after multivariate analysis. Children who live in areas with lower average income present 1.20 to 2.14 greater risk of having higher caries severity and poorer oral hygiene in comparison to those living in more affluent areas, and children with an immigrant background have 1.68 to 4.34 higher likelihood to present higher dmft and DMFT values, higher unmet treatment needs, and poorer oral hygiene levels compared to their Greek counterparts above and beyond the effect of the other risk factors assessed. Conclusions: The present study revealed a socio‐demographic gradient in oral health status and treatment needs of children in Piraeus, Greece.