Oral health indicators and dental care utilization patterns among adults in a context of social vulnerability (Polígono Sur, Seville)

Introduction – Access to quality dental services continues to be a challenge for individuals living in contexts of social exclusion. In the Polígono Sur area of Seville, the high socioeconomic vulnerability of the population highlights the need to identify barriers to access and to provide evidence for the development of more inclusive public policies. Objective – To describe the oral health status of a group of adults enrolled at the CEPer Polígono Sur, considering sociodemographic, clinical, and access-to-care aspects. Materials and methods – A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 adults enrolled at the Centro de Educación Permanente (CEPer) Polígono Sur. Data were collected using an oral health survey based on the model proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Results – Ninety-four percent of the sample reported brushing their teeth at least once per day. Thirty percent had not visited a dentist recently, and 10% had never visited one, mainly individuals from Africa. Fifty-three percent experienced oral discomfort with varying intensity and frequency during the past year, of whom 17% reported it as “very frequent.” The overall DMFT index was 7.65. Forty-eight percent of the sample required some type of prosthetic treatment, particularly those aged 45–64 years. Conclusions – The demand for preventive education in this neighborhood is high. The overall experience of dental caries among adults is relatively low, with a high proportion of untreated dental caries (D component of DMFT) in younger individuals and extractions among older adults. Nearly half of the population experiences unmet prosthetic needs and lack of oral rehabilitation.