Lucas-Rincón Salvador E, Jimenez-Gayosso Sandra I, Robles-Bermeo Norma-Leticia, Scougall-Vilchis Rogelio J, Mendoza-Rodríguez Martha, Casanova-Sarmiento Juan A, Acuña-González Gladys R, Pontigo-Loyola América P, Mora-Acosta Mariana, Escoffié-Ramírez Mauricio
Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute, Autonomous University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca, MEX.
Advanced Studies and Research Center in Dentistry "Dr. Keisaburo Miyata" School of Dentistry, Autonomous University of Mexico State, Toluca, MEX.
Cureus. 2025 Aug 26;17(8):e91032. doi: 10.7759/cureus.91032. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Background Oral health in children is essential for their overall development, but access to dental services remains unequal, especially among vulnerable populations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of dental health service utilization in Mexican pediatric patients with high dental caries experience aged 2-12 years visiting a university clinic in Toluca, Mexico. Methodology This retrospective, cross-sectional study analyzed 309 medical records of pediatric patients from the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM). Data were extracted from records completed by parents/guardians, including variables such as age, sex, oral hygiene habits, number of siblings, caries experience (measured via WHO-standardized decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth (dmft) and decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth (DMFT) indices for primary and permanent dentition), previous dental pain experience, and current reason for consultation. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata version 14.0. Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies) characterized the sample, while bivariate analyses (chi-square, Mann-Whitney U tests) explored associations between variables. A binary logistic regression model identified predictors of dental health services utilization, adjusting for covariates. Significance was set at p-values ≤0.05. Results The mean age was 5.71 ± 2.43 years, and 50.8% were male. Of the children, 49.2% had previous dental visits. It was observed that for each year of age, the likelihood of having a previous dental visit increased by 44% (1.29-1.62). On the other hand, when the combined dmft + DMFT index increased by one unit, the odds of having a previous dental visit increased by 1.07 times (1.01-1.14). Conclusions Dental health services utilization in this sample of Mexican children with high dental caries experience was driven primarily by age and the presence of caries, reflecting late access and predominantly curative treatment. These results underscore the urgency of strategies that promote preventive care from early childhood, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations.
背景 儿童口腔健康对其全面发展至关重要，但获得牙科服务的机会仍然不平等，尤其是在弱势群体中。本研究旨在评估墨西哥托卢卡市一家大学诊所中2至12岁高龋齿经历的儿科患者牙科保健服务利用情况的患病率及相关因素。方法 这项回顾性横断面研究分析了墨西哥州自治大学（UAEM）儿科牙科诊所309名儿科患者的病历。数据从家长/监护人填写的记录中提取，包括年龄、性别、口腔卫生习惯、兄弟姐妹数量、龋齿经历（通过世界卫生组织标准化的乳牙龋失补牙数（dmft）和恒牙龋失补牙数（DMFT）指数衡量乳牙列和恒牙列的情况）、既往牙痛经历以及当前就诊原因等变量。使用Stata 14.0进行统计分析。描述性统计（均值、频率）描述样本特征，而双变量分析（卡方检验、曼 - 惠特尼U检验）探索变量之间的关联。二元逻辑回归模型确定牙科保健服务利用的预测因素，并对协变量进行调整。显著性设定为p值≤0.05。结果 平均年龄为5.71±2.43岁，50.8%为男性。在这些儿童中，49.2%曾有过牙科就诊经历。观察到每增长一岁，既往有牙科就诊经历的可能性增加44%（1.29 - 1.62）。另一方面，当dmft + DMFT综合指数增加一个单位时，既往有牙科就诊经历的几率增加1.07倍（1.01 - 1.14）。结论 在这个高龋齿经历的墨西哥儿童样本中，牙科保健服务利用主要受年龄和龋齿存在情况驱动，反映出就诊较晚且主要是治疗性治疗。这些结果凸显了从幼儿期就促进预防性护理策略的紧迫性，尤其要关注弱势群体。
