Dental caries in a South African adult population: findings from the Cape Town Vascular and Metabolic Health Study
Open accessAbstract
Objectives Caries is a ubiquitous non-communicable disease worldwide. There is a paucity of literature on adult caries in Africa, with the last epidemiological caries study in South Africa conducted in 1988/1989. This article reports on the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) scores in relation to demographic characteristics for a mixed-ancestry South African population.Methods This cross-sectional epidemiological study was part of the ongoing Cape Town Bellville South Vascular and Metabolic Health Study. Each participant signed an informed consent form prior to enrolling in the study. During a clinical examination, DMFT score and components were recorded for each participant. Data analysis was performed with the statistical Package STATA 15.Results A sample of 1,885 participants was included in the study. Sixty-eight percent of the population experienced high DMFT scores. Mean DMFT score increased with age from 5 (≤ 24-year-old group) to 32 (≥ 75-year-old group, P < 0.001). It was higher in women than in men (28.5 vs. 18, respectively, P < 0.001). The missing component contributed 83% to DMFT score, followed by decayed (14%) and filled (3%) scores. Males had a higher average number of teeth present than females (18 vs. 6.5, P < 0.001).Conclusions Dental caries experience was very high, with high levels of tooth loss in this community. These findings highlight limited access to preventive oral healthcare and a high rate of tooth extraction. Females presented higher levels of oral disease than males, indicating the need for preventive oral healthcare programmes in Cape Town, South Africa.
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In South Africa, 68% of adults had high DMFT scores, and among older adults, the average DMFT reached 32 years, with tooth loss being the dominant component.
“In South Africa, a study of adults reported that 68% had high DMFT scores, and among older adults, the average DMFT reached 32 years, with tooth loss being the dominant component (20).”
From Oral health in Africa: a neglected public health priority (2026) · cites this paper as [20]
The Abstract reports high DMFT scores in 68% of participants, a mean DMFT of 32 in the ≥75-year group, and an 83% contribution from missing teeth. DMFT is a score, not a measure in years; moreover, the ‘DMFT score and components’ section gives the oldest group’s mean as 30.1 rather than 32. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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- Authors
- Chikte, U., Pontes, C. C., Karangwa, I., Kimmie-Dhansay, F., Erasmus, R., Kengne, A. P., & Matsha, T. E.
- Affiliations
- Stellenbosch University (ZA)
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology (ZA)
- Corresponding author
- Chikte, Usuf
- Venue
- International Dental Journal
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-06
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 176-182
- ISSN
- 0020-6539 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9379168
- OpenAlex
- W2992237707
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4
- FWCI
- 2.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Dental Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Medical Research Council (SAMRC‐RFA‐UFSP‐01‐2013/ VMH)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Dental Health and Care Utilization
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Orthodontics › Dental materials and restorations
- Keywords
- dental caries, DMFT index, tooth loss, tooth extraction, age-related caries, oral health disparities, South African adults
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dental Caries, DMF Index, Female, Humans, Male, South Africa, Prevalence, Tooth Loss, Young Adult
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