Your new experience awaits. Try the new design now and help us make it even better

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health

Sec. Life-Course Epidemiology and Social Inequalities in Health

Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1641311

This article is part of the Research TopicMigration and Health: A Human Rights Perspective - Conference Insights and BeyondView all 3 articles

Social Determinants of Oral Health in Migrants at the Spanish Border

Provisionally accepted
Juan  Martín-HernándezJuan Martín-Hernándezignacio  Barbero-Navarroignacio Barbero-NavarroDiego  Rodríguez menachoDiego Rodríguez menachoPalom  Villalva HernandezPalom Villalva HernandezJose  Maria Barrera-MoraJose Maria Barrera-MoraDAVID  RIBAS PEREZDAVID RIBAS PEREZ*Antonio  Castaño-SeiquerAntonio Castaño-Seiquer
  • Sevilla University, Seville, Spain

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Background: Health equity, particularly in oral health, remains a challenge for socially excluded populations such as migrants. This study investigates the oral health status and associated social determinants of health among adult immigrants residing at the Temporary Stay Center for Immigrants (CETI) in Melilla, Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2024 involving 128 adult CETI residents. Data collection included standardized oral examinations following WHO guidelines and structured questionnaires assessing sociodemographic variables, health habits, and dental care history. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 29.0, with significance set at p < 0.05.Results: The sample was predominantly Latin American (80.5%) and male (67.2%), with a mean age of 34.85 years. While most participants reported good oral hygiene habits, 67.2% were partially edentulous, and the mean DMFT (Decayed, Missing, Filled, Teeth) index was 9.73higher than national averages. Only 9.4% used dental prostheses. Significant differences were observed between Latin American and African subgroups regarding age distribution, oral hygiene habits, and access to dental care.Conclusions: Migrant populations at CETI face substantial oral health challenges and disparities linked to origin, education, and access to care. Ongoing epidemiological monitoring is essential to inform tailored, equity-oriented public health interventions that address the dynamic needs of these populations.

Keywords: Oral Health, Health inequities, Migrant populations, Epidemiology, Melilla, Spain

Received: 04 Jun 2025; Accepted: 21 Jul 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Martín-Hernández, Barbero-Navarro, Rodríguez menacho, Villalva Hernandez, Barrera-Mora, RIBAS PEREZ and Castaño-Seiquer. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: DAVID RIBAS PEREZ, Sevilla University, Seville, Spain

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.