Spatial Heterogeneity and Risk Factors of Dental Caries in 12-Year-Old Children in Shanxi Province, China.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the spatial heterogeneity and risk factors for dental caries in 12-year-old children in Shanxi province, China.

Methods: The data encompassed 3,721 participants from the two most recent oral health surveys conducted across 16 districts in Shanxi Province in 2015 and 2018. Eighteen specific variables were analyzed to examine the interplay between socioeconomic factors, medical resources and environmental conditions. The Geo-detector model was employed to assess the impacts and interactions of these ecological factors.

Results: Socioeconomic factors ( = 0.30, < 0.05) exhibited a more substantial impact compared to environmental ( = 0.19, < 0.05) and medical resource factors ( = 0.25, < 0.05). Notably, the urban population percentage (UPP) demonstrated the most significant explanatory power for the spatial heterogeneity in caries prevalence, as denoted by its highest -value ( = 0.51, < 0.05). Additionally, the spatial distribution's heterogeneity of caries was significantly affected by SO concentration ( = 0.39, < 0.05) and water fluoride levels ( = 0.27, < 0.05) among environmental factors.

Conclusion: The prevalence of caries exhibited spatial heterogeneity, escalating from North to South in Shanxi Province, China, influenced by socioeconomic factors, medical resources, and environmental conditions to varying extents.