Dental caries experience in Indigenous children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing worldwide disparities and time trends (1968-2024).

Authors

André Luiz Martins, Edmarlon Girotto, Junior César de Souza Benedito, Pablo Guilherme Caldarelli, Kely Barboza Ribeiro, Elis Regina Jacintho, Sara Carolina Scremin Souza, Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno, Marco Aurelio Anselmo Peres, Arthur Eumann Mesas

Published in

Clinical oral investigations. Volume 30. Issue 8. Jul 29, 2026. Epub Jul 29, 2026.

Abstract

To summarize the evidence on the global experience of dental caries among Indigenous children and adolescents worldwide using decayed, missing, and filled teeth indices for deciduous (dmft) and permanent (DMFT) dentitions.
A systematic review of the PubMed, SciELO, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted. The search included studies with primary data on dmft and DMFT in Indigenous populations worldwide published until February 9, 2026. The pooled means (95% CI) of dmft and DMFT were calculated using a random-effects meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression explored heterogeneity through sociodemographic, geographic and time variables.
A total of 95 studies from 19 countries were included in the systematic review, 59 of which provided data for meta-analysis. The pooled mean for dmft was 3.75 (3.58-3.92) and for DMFT was 2.36 (2.18-2.55). Considerable heterogeneity was detected in pooled analyses for dmft and DMFT. Both indices were higher in studies from North America (dmft = 5.23 [4.61-5.86]; DMFT = 4.74 [2.28-7.20]) than in those from Oceania and Asia (dmft = 3.30 [3.11-3.50]; DMFT = 1.74 [1.57-1.91]). Multivariate meta-regression revealed that dmft increased as the percentage of female participants rose (β = 0.10, p-value = 0.030). Additionally, DMFT increased with increasing age (β = 0.40, p-value < 0.001) and decreased with increasing HDI (β=-3.13, p-value = 0.034). No statistically significant differences in caries experience were found across the study periods.
For nearly six decades, Indigenous children and adolescents worldwide have consistently experienced dental caries affecting approximately two to four teeth. Disparities in dental caries were observed across age, sex, and national human development levels.
The persistence of dental caries underscores the urgency of implementing effective preventive strategies that are culturally adapted to Indigenous contexts.

PMID:
42521869
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 29 Jul 2026.

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