Caries Research最新文献

{"title":"Caries Microbiome: Time to Move from Blame to Balance.","authors":"Naile Dame-Teixeira, Jéssica Luiza Mendonça Albuquerque de Melo, Clarissa Cavalcanti Fatturi Parolo","doi":"10.1159/000550472","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000550472","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Advances in next-generation sequencing and multi-omics approaches reinforced the concept of functional diversity within biofilm communities, revealing roles beyond bacterial taxonomy and highlighting metabolic and ecological mechanisms operating at the individual level rather than within isolated caries lesions. Moving toward new clinical solutions will require broader perspectives; to this end, we propose key directions to advance the translational potential of caries microbiome research. We present a perspective that connects ecological theory, molecular evidence, and clinical implications through three central topics: (1) microbial composition, (2) microbial function, and (3) individual-level characteristics.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>From a compositional perspective, caries microbiome research should move beyond the search for bacterial culprits and instead consider the broader microbial ecosystem, including low-abundance and nonbacterial members (such as archaea). Within this framework, microbial taxa and functions should not be viewed as inherently \"good\" or \"bad,\" but rather as context-dependent components of a dynamic ecosystem shaped by sustained environmental pressures. Functionally, the recurrent enrichment of pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism, sugar transport, and acid production likely reflects microbial adaptation to persistent sugar exposure rather than intrinsic virulence traits. This perspective suggests that progress in caries research depends on moving beyond disease-centered models toward understanding how microbial stability preserves oral health. At the individual level, individuals with previous caries experience may retain disease-associated microbial or functional signatures during remission, a phenomenon referred to here as a microbiological dysbiosis scar. This ecological memory may help explain why past caries experience remains one of the strongest predictors of future lesions and highlights the importance of incorporating individual history into the design and interpretation of caries microbiome studies. Integrating detailed clinical metadata with advanced bioinformatic approaches, including artificial intelligence, will be essential for establishing meaningful biological links.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>Progress in caries microbiome research depends on refining study design across microbial composition, functional, and individual levels. Strengthening the resilience of the oral microbiome rather than eliminating specific pathogens or the microbiome should be the central goal of caries microbiology. Moving from blame to balance is not merely semantic; it represents a fundamental shift in how we study, prevent, and manage dental caries.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145984498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the Risk Factors for Early Life Sugar Consumption: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Carlos Alberto Feldens, Jaime Aparecido Cury, Paulo Floriani Kramer, Elisa Maria Rosa de Barros Coelho, Márcia Regina Vítolo, Karen Glazer Peres","doi":"10.1159/000547729","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000547729","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The risk factors for early life sugar consumption in different countries have not been thoroughly mapped, making it difficult to plan interventions.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>This scoping review aims to map evidence on the risk factors for introduction of sugar in the first 2 years of life and to characterize the methodological features of the studies included. Population, Concept, and Context strategy (PCC) was adopted to identify relevant studies published up to February 2025 using PubMed, Scopus, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source, and Web of Science databases. Any interventional or observational study investigating associated or risk factors for the early introduction of sugar in the first 2 years of age was eligible. The study had no funding, and the protocol was not registered. In total, 348 articles were suitable for initial screening of title and abstracts; 118 were submitted to full-text analysis, identifying 19 papers involving 43,622 children from Europe (n = 6), North America (n = 5), South America (n = 3), Asia (n = 3), and Oceania (n = 2). Considerable methodological variation was found between studies, particularly in study design, data collection instruments, and types of sugar investigated. The introduction of sugar was earlier among children from regions with greater socioeconomic inequalities and from mothers with lower level of education, younger age, single mothers, and higher number of siblings. Additionally, behavioral risk factors identified included higher parental sugar consumption, maternal smoking, and shorter breastfeeding duration.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>The risk factors identified in this scoping review can inform the planning of future strategies to prevent sugar consumption in the first 2 years of life. Furthermore, substantial methodological variations identified across studies may guide researchers in developing future research in this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"311-324"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144774689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Asthma, Medication Use, and Dental Caries in Adolescents: A Population-Based Study.","authors":"Francien Veenman, Sione Tibbertsma, Eppo B Wolvius, Fernando Rivadeneira, Liesbeth Duijts, Lea Kragt","doi":"10.1159/000547594","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000547594","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><p>Introduction: Asthma and dental caries may be linked through frequent mouth breathing and the use of inhaled asthma medication. However, the current literature is inconclusive on whether asthma or asthma medications increase the risk of dental caries in permanent dentition. This study aimed to investigate whether asthma, the age of asthma onset, and the use of asthma medications are associated with the caries experience of 13-year-old adolescents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort. Data on asthma, asthma medication use, and potential confounders were collected through parental questionnaires. Dental caries in the permanent dentition was defined by the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Hurdle-negative binomial regression models were used to examine the associations between asthma variables and dental caries.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the study population (n = 3,356, 13.6 ± 0.34 years, 48.8% male), the prevalence of dental caries was 35.2% and the prevalence of ever diagnosed with asthma 15.3%. The results showed no associations between (current) asthma, age at asthma onset, or asthma medication use at 13 years and risk of dental caries (OR [95% CI] ranging from 0.64 [0.41-1.02] to 1.27 [0.79-2.05]).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>As the largest study conducted to date in adolescents, no associations were found between asthma or asthma medication and dental caries, consistent with findings across multiple large, population-based cohort studies, underscoring the strength of these findings. </p>.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"230-239"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12503652/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144706430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Accuracy Assessment of Human and Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Bitewing Radiography and Near-Infrared Reflectance Imaging-Based Methods for Interproximal Caries Detection: A Histological Validation.","authors":"Nicole Rodrigues, Francisco Martinez-Rus, Alicia Miguel-Calvo, Guillermo Pradíes, Maria Paz Salido","doi":"10.1159/000546644","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000546644","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of interproximal caries detection using intraoral bitewing radiographs, assessed by both human operators and an artificial intelligence (AI) program, a near-infrared reflectance imaging (NIRI) system with operator-conducted assessment, and histological evaluation as the reference.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>100 posterior teeth with or without caries were mounted on 10 typodonts. Initially, 180 surfaces were examined, but eight were excluded for different reasons. Therefore, 171 proximal surfaces were analyzed. NIRI imaging was performed using the iTero Element 5D®, and radiographs were analyzed by operators and an AI program, Denti.AI. Results were compared with histology, assessing sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values, F1-score, areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs), and the Fleiss Kappa coefficient (k).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The statistical analysis results for each diagnostic test were as follows: examiner radiographic assessment (Se = 52%, Sp = 84.6%, PPV = 71.6%, NPV = 70.3%, F1-score = 60%, AUC = 0.684, k = 0.459); NIRI (Se = 37%, Sp = 98.9%, PPV = 96.4%, NPV = 67.8%, F1-score = 52%, AUC = 0.673, k = 0.475); AI-guided radiographic assessment (Se = 13.7%, Sp = 95.9%, PPV = 71%, NPV = 59.8%, F1-score = 23%, AUC = 0.548). McNemar's test showed a p < 0.05 for all diagnostic tests.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Both the operator-conducted NIRI system and examiner radiographic assessment demonstrated superior detection capabilities compared to the AI program. Among these methods, the examiner radiographic assessment yielded the best results, followed by the NIRI system, demonstrating its potential for clinical use.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"173-184"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144198316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dental Practitioners' Thresholds for Restorative Intervention in Carious Lesions: A Survey-Based Systematic Review Update.","authors":"Heather J Lundbeck, Vinay Pitchika, Paul Wilson, Daniela P Raggio, Jennifer Galloway, Waraf Al-Yaseen, Arindam Dutta, Rhiannon Jones, Shannu Bhatia, Glesni Guest-Rowlands, Kathryn Rowles, Falk Schwendicke, Nicola Innes","doi":"10.1159/000546194","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000546194","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><p>Introduction: Despite evidence supporting the clinical and cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive dentistry (MID), its adoption by the dental profession has been slow. A systematic review in 2016 found the majority of dentists intervene invasively earlier than necessary. The aim was to update this review of the assessment of dental practitioners' thresholds for providing restorative treatment for carious lesions given changes in evidence, teaching, and guidelines since 2016. The primary outcome was dental practitioners' restorative thresholds (the extent of the lesion when they would decide to intervene restoratively). Secondary outcomes were changes over time, caries risk, regional differences, and primary/permanent dentition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This updated review replicated the methodology for the initial review, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO; CRD42023431906). Embase, MEDLINE (via PubMed), and Web of Science databases were searched (2016-2023) for observational studies reporting on dental clinicians' thresholds for restorative interventions in adults and children without language, time, or quality restrictions. Screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment (Modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) were carried out independently and in duplicate. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model. No funding sought.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 47 publications (30 from original publication and 17 from updated search) met the inclusion criteria and 65 datasets were included in the meta-analyses: 19 for occlusal lesions (16 pre-2016 and 3 post-2016; n = 11,946) and 46 for proximal lesions (38 pre-2016 and 8 post 2016; n = 20,428). The meta-analyses found that for occlusal lesions confined to enamel, there were fewer practitioners intervening invasively: 5% (95% confidence interval [CI]; 1-20%) post-2016, compared with 15% (95% CI; 9-23%) pre-2016. The opposite was found for proximal lesions with increased intervention levels, 27% (95% CI; 18-40%) for lesions confined to enamel post-2016, compared with 19% (95% CI; 12-29%) pre-2016, and for lesions extending up to the enamel-dentine junction 61% (95% CI; 36-81%) post-2016, compared with 39% (95% CI; 29-51%) pre-2016. There was variance between regions but too few studies to draw conclusions on individual regions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There was a suggestion of less invasive treatment of occlusal lesions over time; however, this was not evident for proximal lesions. </p>.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"65-79"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180769/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143964084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancements in Caries Diagnostics Using Bitewing Radiography: A Systematic Review of Deep Learning Approaches.","authors":"Kristof Sebastian Hansson Horvath, Nils Roar Gjerdet, Xie-Qi Shi","doi":"10.1159/000546448","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000546448","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><p>Introduction: Deep learning techniques have emerged as promising tools for enhancing the radiographic diagnosis of caries, particularly when utilizing bitewing radiographs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted to assess the use of deep learning for caries diagnosis in bitewing radiographs. Literature searches were performed across Web of Science and PubMed databases for studies published before March 2025 that utilized deep learning for caries detection, segmentation, and classification using bitewing radiographs. Data extraction focused on model architectures, dataset characteristics, annotation processes, diagnostic performance metrics, and potential biases, as assessed by the QUADAS-2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing caries detection, segmentation, and severity classification. The most frequently applied deep learning models were classification models, such as ResNet and detection models, such as YOLO architectures. Dataset sizes varied widely, ranging from 112 to 8,539 images. Most studies reported high diagnostic performance, with accuracies ranging from 70% to 99%. Some AI models outperformed or matched the performance of human experts, particularly in detecting advanced carious lesions. However, considerable variability was observed in model architectures, dataset characteristics, the applied diagnostic performance metrics, and reporting standards. The risk of bias assessment revealed concerns in patient selection, index test interpretation, and reference standards, with all studies rated as having a high risk of bias in at least one domain.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The review identified challenges in currently developed deep learning models regarding methodological heterogeneity, lack of standardization, limited dataset diversity, insufficient clinical validation, and concerns about bias and data transparency. Nevertheless, all studies concluded that deep learning models are promising as an assistive diagnostic tool in caries diagnostics using bitewing radiography. </p>.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"127-151"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12331221/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144367944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can Plaque Indices Effectively Indicate the True Amount of Plaque?","authors":"Katja Jung, Franziska Eilert, Carolina Ganss","doi":"10.1159/000547456","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000547456","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><p>Introduction: Clinical plaque indices are well-established methods for quantifying the effects of plaque control, for example, with different toothbrush types. However, effect sizes observed in such studies depend on the index used. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate how Turesky-modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (T-QHPI), Rustogi-modified Navy Plaque Index (RMNPI), and RMNPI modified by Bretz (RMNPI-Bretz) scores correspond to actual plaque amounts.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty participants, 24.0 ± 4.1 years old, were included. Following 72 h without oral hygiene and after subsequent habitual toothbrushing, disclosed plaque (Mira-2-Ton®) was captured using intraoral scans (Carestream 3800). Scoring grids corresponding to the indices were projected onto standardised images on the oral and vestibular sides of the Ramfjord teeth (16, 21, 24, 36, 41, and 44) and scored. Afterwards, actual plaque coverage was quantified planimetrically (P%).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All methods yield significant plaque reduction after brushing (P%: 42.1 ± 14.0%, T-QHPI: 32.7 ± 9.5%, RMNPI: 19.7 ± 9.5%, RMNPI-Bretz: 30.2 ± 9.9; p ≤ 0.001 each). However, Bland-Altman analysis revealed distinct systematic and proportional biases in relation to P%. As P% was not linearly related to the index values, equations were derived, enabling the conversion into actual plaque coverage. Those were applied to T-QHPI and RMNPI data from the literature to allow a deeper understanding of effect sizes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Plaque indices only partially reflect actual plaque coverage. Compared to RMNPI, T-QHPI and RMNPI-Bretz gave closer agreement with the planimetric measurements. These findings highlight the limitations of traditional plaque indices in accurately representing plaque reduction, while offering a new approach to enhance the interpretability of oral hygiene studies. </p>.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"206-218"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12503592/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144682104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Moderating Effect of Oral Health Literacy on the Relationship between Socioeconomic Conditions and Untreated Dental Caries in Pregnant Women.","authors":"Gabriela de Araujo, Mateus Zilch Scheuermann, Jessica Klöckner Knorst, Thiago Machado Ardenghi, Bruno Emmanuelli","doi":"10.1159/000546293","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000546293","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Dental caries is highly prevalent among pregnant women, and investigating potential modifying factors is particularly relevant for this population. This study aimed to evaluate the moderating effect of oral health literacy (OHL) on the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and dental caries in pregnant women.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study was performed with pregnant women attending the public health service in Santa Maria, a municipality in Southern Brazil. The Brazilian Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30) instrument was used to evaluate OHL. The presence of dental caries was measured using the decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT) index. Socioeconomic conditions were assessed based on family income and education level. The moderating effect of OHL on the relationship between income, education, and caries (D component of DMFT) was tested using multilevel Poisson regression analyses. The results are presented as prevalence ratio.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 520 pregnant women were examined (response rate of 93%). Pregnant women with low educational level and low OHL exhibited a 69% higher prevalence of dental caries compared to those with higher education and high OHL. Similarly, among those with high income, pregnant with low OHL had a 57% higher prevalence of untreated dental caries than their counterparts with both high income and high OHL.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings indicate that low OHL modifies the association between socioeconomic conditions and dental caries among pregnant women. Low OHL appears to function as an aggravating factor, potentially exacerbating oral health outcomes in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"24-32"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144118976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Early Life Income and Sugars Intake on Child Oral Health: Marginal Structural Modelling Using a Birth Cohort Study.","authors":"Diep H Ha, Lucinda Bell, Gemma Devenish-Coleman, Sam Leary, Jane A Scott, William Murray Thomson, Andrew John Spencer, David J Manton, Loc G Do","doi":"10.1159/000546215","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000546215","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><p>Introduction: Determinants of oral health are formed early and influenced by variations in socioeconomic status (SES). It is unclear whether early life SES influences child oral health directly or indirectly through determinants such as intake of free sugars. This study applied the marginal structural modelling approach to household income at birth and free sugar intake to investigate pathways those determinants influence child oral health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used data collected in SMILE, a population-based birth cohort study of Australian mother/newborn dyads, who have been followed-up prospectively since birth with questionnaires and clinical assessment. Area- and individual-level factors collected at childbirth were background confounders. Household income at childbirth (low/medium/high) and free sugar intake at age 2 years (low/medium/high) were used as primary exposure and mediator to investigate pathways through which SES at childbirth influences oral health. By applying the causal inference approach and using marginal structural modelling, we estimated the controlled direct effect of household income and the direct effect and mediating effect of intake of free sugars on dental caries experience. We developed a causal directed acyclic graph to guide the analysis. The baseline confounders were balanced using a stabilised inverse probabilities of treatment weight, mimicking randomisation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Low household income at childbirth was associated with 1.65 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.01, 3.02) times higher accumulated dental caries experience by age 5 years than in children born to high-income households. High intake of free sugars had strong direct effects on both the prevalence (1.55 [95% CI: 1.03, 2.32]) and cumulative experience (2.64 [95% CI: 1.36, 5.15]) of dental caries by age 5 years. Proportions of effects of income were mediated by intake of free sugars.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Socioeconomic variations at birth and immediate determinants such as intake of sugars, directly and indirectly, influence oral health. Timely and appropriate addressing of those variations may limit inequity in oral health. </p>.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12148313/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143980608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of Social Mobility on Untreated Dental Caries at Age 4: Intergenerational and Intragenerational Analysis.","authors":"Sarah Arangurem Karam, Francine Dos Santos Costa, Marcos Britto Correa, Bernardo Horta, Helen Gonçalves, Andréa Dâmaso Bertoldi, Flávio Fernando Demarco","doi":"10.1159/000546513","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000546513","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study aimed to describe the prevalence of untreated dental caries in early childhood based on intergenerational socioeconomic data and to evaluate the association between intragenerational socioeconomic mobility data and untreated dental caries in children aged 4.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a longitudinal study. Data from three birth cohorts in Pelotas (1982, 1993, and 2015) were used. Data from three generations participating in these cohorts were evaluated. Untreated dental caries in childhood (2015 cohort) was considered the dependent variable. Family income and schooling were independent variables. The social mobility variable was categorized considering income and level of schooling data in the mothers' generation. Poisson regression was performed to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 286 pairs of children and mothers/grandmothers were evaluated for the intergenerational sample (1982 and 1993 cohorts), and 3,633 mothers and children for the intragenerational sample (2015 cohort). In the intergenerational analysis, there was a reduction of about 10 percentage points in the prevalence of untreated caries in children from families that experienced upward/downward income mobility compared to children whose generations remained with lower income. In the intragenerational analysis, children belonging to the ascending/descending economic mobility groups had twice the prevalence of untreated dental caries compared to those always with higher salaries (PR 2.04; 95% CI 1.52-2.71 and PR 2.07; 95% CI 1.56-2.74, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings demonstrate an association between untreated dental caries in children and family socioeconomic status, including their mothers' income/education mobility. Thus, intervening in early childhood socioeconomic conditions is needed to improve children's oral health.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"54-64"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144149316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}