Diego Rodriguez Menacho

Background/Objectives: International migration has increased substantially in recent years, creating new challenges for children’s oral health and access to dental care. Migrant children are particularly vulnerable to oral health inequalities due to multiple structural, sociocultural, and administrative barriers. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the available evidence published between 2015 and 2025 regarding oral health status, dental service utilization, and barriers and facilitators to dental care among migrant children and adolescents. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and LILACS/SciELO, yielding 150 initial records. After removing 32 duplicates, 118 records were screened by title and abstract, 14 full-text reports were assessed and finally 4 were chosen. Two independent reviewers evaluated methodological quality using JBI and CASP tools. Results: Four primary studies met the inclusion criteria. Reported dft/DMFT values ranged from 0.9 to 4.6, with untreated caries exceeding 60% in specific subgroups. Annual dental service utilization ranged between 28% and 62%, predominantly driven by acute dental pain. Conclusions: Migrant children experience a substantial burden of oral disease and limited, predominantly reactive access to dental care. Strengthening culturally competent, community-based preventive strategies and improving equitable access to oral healthcare should be priorities for health systems. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and rigorously evaluated interventions to support evidence-based policies and clinical practice.

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral health status of socially vulnerable children and adolescents in Seville and to examine its associations with behavioral and sociodemographic determinants. We hypothesized that greater social vulnerability and suboptimal behaviors would be associated with higher caries experience. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 250 participants aged 2 to 17 years attending the Luis Séiquer Social Dentistry Foundation between January and March 2025. Clinical examinations followed the WHO Oral Health Surveys: Basic Methods (5th edition, 2013) and were performed by a calibrated dentist. Variables included dental caries indices (dft, DMFT), pulpal treatment needs, and oral hygiene practices. Statistical analyses included Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, Fisher’s exact tests, and multivariate regression models (significance level p < 0.05). Results: Caries prevalence was high across all age groups, particularly in primary dentition (mean dft = 3.05 ± 3.80; DMFT = 2.99 ± 3.66; p < 0.001). Pulp therapy needs were significantly higher among preschoolers (mean = 2.22 ± 2.31). Factors such as low parental education, migrant background, insufficient toothbrushing frequency, and frequent sugar intake were strongly associated with poorer oral health outcomes. Although fluoridated toothpaste use was widespread (>94%), dental floss use remained limited (34.8%). Multivariate analyses confirmed a strong association between social inequalities and oral disease burden. Conclusions: Children and adolescents from vulnerable groups in Seville experience a high prevalence of dental caries and substantial unmet treatment needs. Findings highlight marked oral health disparities linked to socioeconomic status, emphasizing the urgent need for early preventive programs, culturally adapted oral health education, and equitable access to dental care.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of TDI in the Spanish population through a systematic review and meta‐analysis, identifying differences by sex, age, and study setting.Materials and Methods: An exhaustive search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Ovid Medline, and CINAHL, including gray literature and other alternative sources. Observational studies evaluating the prevalence of TDI in Spain, with a total of 8662 participants. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the JBI tool, and the PRISMA guidelines were followed to ensure transparency and reproducibility.Results: The estimated overall prevalence of TDI was 9.94% (95% CI: 5.98%–16.6%). The results showed a higher prevalence in males (10.5%) compared to females (5.7%), and in children (11.1%) compared to adolescents (6.1%). Fractures were the most common type of TDI (56.5%), followed by avulsion (4.0%). High heterogeneity was observed among the studies, suggesting variability in data collection methods and TDI classification.Conclusions: This study is the first to estimate the prevalence of TDI in Spain, which sheds light on the need for a standardized approach in future research. Although it presents significant methodological strengths, limitations such as high heterogeneity and lack of standardization should be considered when interpreting the results.

Background: Oral health is a crucial aspect of overall well‐being, and its relationship with obesity has gained increasing attention due to the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. Obesity is associated with various health complications, including detrimental effects on oral health. Despite the significant implications of obesity on dental health, there is limited research specifically examining this relationship in rural populations. Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between obesity type and the need for dental prostheses in adults from the rural population of Yucatán,Mexico, in order to highlight the influence that obesity may have on oral health. Methodology: An observational, descriptive, cross‐sectional study was conducted in July 2021, with a final sample of 114 participants aged between 15 and 81 years. Subjects classified as obese according to the body mass index (BMI) criteria were included, specifically those with a BMI ≥ 30. All participants were evaluated by a single experienced dentist, using a standardized methodology to collect data regarding their oral health, clinical history, and health habits. Results: A notable absence of dental prostheses was observed in over 80% (92 participants) of the subjects. A direct correlation was identified between obesity type and the need for prostheses, with a higher prevalence of prosthetic need in individuals with a higher BMI, where 75% of the obese (38 out of 50 obese participants) reported needing dental prostheses. This suggested a significant interplay between oral health, obesity, and dietary choices. Conclusions: The findings of this study emphasized the importance of optimal oral health to facilitate chewing and digestion, highlighting that obesity, as a condition, can negatively influence oral health. Further studies are needed to investigate the necessity for preventive measures and treatment, as well as to promote awareness of oral health within the community.

Background/Objectives: Managing caries lesions that affect the inner third of the dentin is crucial to ensuring pulp vitality; the clinician must make decisions that will affect the vitality of the tooth. Our purpose is to understand the behavior of Spanish dentists in treating deep cavities and to examine whether variations exist based on their academic training and/or years of professional experience. Methods: This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Balearic Islands CEI-IB. A survey was conducted using the SurveyMonkey platform with 11 questions, the first 4 of which focused on defining the characteristics of the respondents. The following six concerned a clinical case of deep caries in tooth number 4.7, and the last regarded the opinion of the actual treatment of the case. The survey was sent by email in April 2022. The results were analyzed with the SPSS 29.0 program using the chi-square test. Results: A total of 347 responses were obtained (93.95%), and those surveyed stated that they apply minimal intervention concepts in their treatments, with 90.49% performing conservative dentistry treatments daily. A total of 56.48% of the respondents had bachelor’s degrees, 12.39% had graduated, 33.14% had a postgraduate degree, 38.90% had a master’s degree, and 17% had a doctorate. Most (40.63%) had been in professional practice for 16–30 years. Conclusions: Significant differences were identified regarding years of professional experience in terms of decision-making in methods of treatment and the choice of materials used for pulp protection. Likewise, significant differences were found regarding the academic training of the respondents, the cavity cleaning method selected, and the use of chemical substances for removing carious dentin. We can conclude that academic training and years of professional practice influence decision-making at some points in treating deep caries lesions.

La odontología social abarca factores sociales, económicos y culturales que intervienen en la salud bucodental de las personas y comunidades, a fin de establecer las mejores estrategias conjuntas, encontrar soluciones eficientes y efectivas a los problemas bucodentales. Paraguay es un país con un sistema de salud fragmentado, con escasa capacidad sanitaria, esencialmente las que están relacionadas a estilos de vida no saludables, donde la situación de la salud bucodental no se encuentra ajena a esta problemática. Es importante considerar que la salud dental comprende la capacidad de morder, masticar, sonreír, hablar, comunicar y transmitir emociones, a través de las expresiones faciales que fortalecen la autoestima; sin embargo estas capacidades se constituyen en un problema que afecta principalmente a la población rural del país. Este proyecto vinculó a las Universidades de Sevilla – España a través de la Fundación Odontología Social Luis Séiquer, con la Nacional de Asunción y Nacional de Concepción con el objetivo de realizar campañas educativas en el Departamento de Concepción de Paraguay.

With the objective of assessing the periodontal health status, treatment needs, and oral hygiene habits of the population of Mérida, in Mexico, a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. Four hundred forty individuals individually completed a questionnaire on oral health, oral hygiene habits, and quality of life. Additionally, a complete clinical dental examination was performed for each. For the statistical analysis, continuous variables (means and standard deviation) and categorical variables (frequencies) were studied. The associations were made using the analysis of variance test for continuous variables and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. The critical value to identify statistically significant differences was P < .05. The main concern of the population was the possible untreated caries they thought they had, with 36.21% followed by pain with 14.62%. Possible periodontal issues were the main discomfort for only 9%. The percentage of the sample that required periodontal intervention by a specialist was 21.14%. Statistically significant differences were found between age, place of residence, socioeconomic level, and schooling. There are great deficiencies in oral health in the studied group, which is accompanied by a great need for periodontal treatment. Periodontal health is closely related to oral hygiene, so the related sociocultural level should also be taken into account for the study of oral health in the most vulnerable populations. It is crucial to establish strategies to promote oral health.

Indigenous populations around the world experience a disproportionate burden of oral diseases and health conditions. These inequalities are likely due to a complex web of socioeconomic, cultural, and health determinants. The Baka pygmies of southern Cameroon find themselves in this context of an indigenous population with health inequities. The purpose of this study was to describe the oral health status, diet, hygiene habits, and access to health services of the Baka pygmy children, from which different care needs will emerge in order to develop health strategies. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 22 Baka pygmy camps randomly selected. The study population consisted of children aged 5–6 years and 11–12 years chosen by a consecutive sampling technique. The examination was performed using a data sheet based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and recommendations which consisted of an oral health questionnaire for children and an oral health assessment form for children. A total of 120 children participated in the study. Extraoral examination of the study population revealed the presence of noma (1%) in the age range of 5–6 years. A total of 2713 teeth were examined, and the DMFT/dft index of the sample was 0.71 with a predominant caries component. The periodontal status showed 87% bleeding on probing. Seven percent of the sample presented a need for immediate urgent treatment due to pain and/or infection. Eighty-seven percent of the sample reported never having been examined by a dentist. The examination and oral care they received was only from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The conclusion of this descriptive study is that the precarious oral health situation of pygmy children combined with the absence of care services in general for the Baka pygmies generate a situation of great vulnerability.

Elderly patients have a high incidence of falls that result in facial injuries. Many cases present with dental crown fractures and soft-tissue lacerations. The initial diagnosis is especially important in this type of dental trauma, since an initial error can result in the failure to establish the correct treatment from the very beginning, worsening the prognosis, which, in the worst case, can compromise the teeth affected by the trauma. Case report: We present the case of a patient, a 79-year-old woman, who suffered an accidental fall. The patient was examined by a dentist in the emergency room. She was diagnosed with a simple crown fracture of the right upper central incisor and right upper lateral incisor without any pulpal involvement and with laceration of the lower lip. Months later, she had an episode of inflammation in the lower lip, and she developed edema and pain. An X-ray of the lower lip revealed a radiopaque mass compatible with a fragment of dental tissue due to the inclusion of remnants of the dental tissue resulting from the previous accident fall. Conclusions: The population of geriatric patients is steadily increasing in our society, and a higher frequency of falls has been observed in this age group, affecting the maxillofacial region, with consequent dental trauma on many occasions. Therefore, as professionals, we must pay special attention to the prevention and treatment of this problem, insisting on the importance of routine investigation in the emergency visit for dental trauma, which includes a meticulous examination of the soft tissues accompanied by a radiographic examination, when the inclusion of foreign bodies is suspected.

Dental epidemiological studies are essential for analysing and evaluating the population’s health state and dental treatments provided, as well as for planning future oral health programme activities and interventions based on their findings. In order to determine the health condition of children and adolescents in connection to the prevalence of caries, caries indices (decayed and filled teeth (dft) for primary teeth and decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) in permanent teeth) and periodontal indices (community periodontal index (CPI)), oral exams of children and adolescents aged 6, 12 and 15 from selected schools were conducted. To assess the achievement of the oral health objectives set for Spain in 2020, these data were compared with those acquired at the national level. At 6 years of age, 278 children were examined, the prevalence of caries was 55.6%, the dft index was 2.77 (±3.44), the DMFT was 0.19 (±0.16), the restorative index (RI) was 4.62%, and the significant caries (SiC) index was 8.40 (±2.07). At 12 years of age, 208 students were examined, the prevalence of caries found was 65.86%, the DMFT index was 1.85 (±2.22), the RI was 36.63%, the SiC index was 5.43 (±2.07), and children without the presence of periodontal pathology was 59.13%. At 15 years of age, 165 students were examined, the prevalence of caries was 70.06%, the DMFT was 3.08 (±3.39), the RI was 42.42%, the SiC index was 8.10 (±2.55), and adolescents without periodontal disease was 47.90%. Conclusions: Melilla-born children and adolescents had higher caries indicators and indices than the corresponding national averages for Spain. Teenagers under the age of 15 have a particularly high frequency of dental caries. The investigation of the children’s origin is where there is the most disparity. Children of Berber descent have much higher values than children of European heritage.