Epidemiology of dental caries in permanent dentition: evidence from a population-based survey in Egypt.

Background: In recognition of the risk factors common between oral diseases and various chronic conditions and the intersection between oral health and some sustainable development goals, the current cross-sectional study was designed to quantify the burden of dental caries and identify factors associated with its occurrence in permanent teeth.

Methods: Using data from Egypt's population-based survey (2013-2014), two individual-level outcomes; past caries experience (DMFT > 0) and presence of untreated carious lesions (DT > 0) were assessed using the WHO basic methods for oral health surveys. Information on potential explanatory variables including sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to fluoridated water, dental attendance, and dental anxiety was gathered using a structured questionnaire.