가정 밖 청소년의 구강건강행태 및 치과의료 접근성: 일반 및 우식 고위험군 청소년과의 비교

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the oral health status of adolescents in out-of-home care living situations and compare their dental care accessibility with that of adolescents in general and high-risk caries groups. Methods: A comparative analysis was conducted among adolescents in out-of-home care situations (n=60), adolescents in general (using raw data from the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; n=73), and high-risk caries groups (using raw data from the 2018 Korea National Children's Oral Health Survey; n=326). Oral health status and dental treatment experiences were evaluated through surveys and clinical examinations, focusing on the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, periodontal health, presence of calculus, and unmet dental treatment needs. Results: The mean DMFT index of adolescents in out-of-home care situations was 5.78±4.17, significantly higher than that of adolescents in general(2.27±3.15) and high-risk caries groups(5.18±1.80)(p<0.0001). This group also exhibited the highest prevalence of calculus(91.7%) and unmet dental treatment needs(41.7%), with financial burden(13.3%) being the most common barrier to care. Conclusions: Adolescents in out-of-home care situations face a higher risk of oral diseases and have lower accessibility to dental treatment. Targeted policies, including financial support, oral health education, and improved access to dental services, are needed.