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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jds.2025.11.001

First Page

620

Last Page

623

Abstract

Background/purpose The ongoing war in Ukraine has severely disrupted healthcare infrastructure, limiting access to preventive and restorative dental services. Most existing studies have focused on refugees abroad, while data from civilians who remained in conflict-affected regions are scarce. This study aimed to assess dental caries experience and age-related patterns among war-affected regions of Ukraine. Materials and methods A multinational medical team, in collaboration with local health institutions, delivered humanitarian medical and dental services in conflict-affected regions of Ukraine between September 17 and September 30, 2025. We retrospectively analyzed medical records from 230 civilians aged 12–85 years, assessing substance use, oral health behaviors, and dental caries experience, as quantified by the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. Results The overall mean DMFT index was 9.93 ± 6.21, with 61.7 % of participants having at least one decayed tooth. A significant age gradient was observed, with DMFT increasing from 4.87 ± 3.33 in adolescents (12–19 years) to 15.39 ± 7.62 in elderly adults (≥65 years). In contrast, decayed teeth declined with age, from 2.13 ± 2.03 in adolescents to 0.70 ± 0.84 in elderly adults, while missing and filled teeth increased. Conclusion This study provides rare, clinically assessed evidence of a high burden of dental caries among Ukrainians remaining in war-affected areas. The observed age gradient and high prevalence of decayed teeth highlight the urgent need to restore access to dental care and to establish comprehensive oral health surveillance in postwar Ukraine.

Publication Date

1-1-2026

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