Caries experience, oral health behaviors, and socioeconomic determinants among high school students in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries remains a prevalent global health concern, affecting millions despite being preventable. In Saudi Arabia, especially in Madinah, data on caries prevalence among adolescents is limited. This gap is addressed via assessing caries prevalence and associated risk factors. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study enrolled 2,514 high school students from 24 schools in Madinah, selected through stratified multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and clinical examinations using DMFT index. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of dental caries was 81.5%, with a mean DMFT score of 4.07 (SD = 3.64). Students attending public schools (87.3%) and those with lower parental education were more likely to have high/very high CE (p < 0.001). Self-rated oral health was significantly associated with CE, with students reporting better oral health having lower caries experience (p = 0.02). Logistic regression analysis revealed that being female (OR = 1.32, p = 0.004), increasing age (OR = 1.14, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Dental caries is highly prevalent among high school students, with significant associations between caries experience and gender, and oral health behaviours, which highlight the need for targeted oral health promotion and prevention strategies.