{
  "abstract": "Objectives Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic condition among Argentine children, with distribution and severity strongly shaped by social and territorial inequalities. This study evaluated caries treatment needs and their spatial and socio-economic associations among preschool children in Buenos Aires.Design, setting, participants An ecological population study was conducted among 54 337 6-year-old children attending public schools in Buenos Aires. Caries severity was measured using the Caries Treatment Needs Index (CTNI) by calibrated examiners.Primary and secondary outcome measures Socio-economic indicators included individual health coverage, neighbourhood housing prices, distance to the nearest primary health centre, population density and the proportion of households with unsatisfied basic needs. Analyses comprised descriptive statistics, multivariate regression, ORs and spatial autoregressive models.Results Overall, 67.9% of children had treatment needs (CTNI >2) and 17.5% had high needs (CTNI >10), with significant heterogeneity across municipalities (p<0.01). Public health coverage showed a strong gradient with increasing caries severity (OR: 1.77–3.68; p<0.01). Lower housing prices, greater distance to health centres, higher population density and higher unmet basic needs were independently associated with worse CTNI outcomes (p<0.01). Spatial analyses confirmed significant territorial clustering of treatment needs.Conclusions Caries treatment needs in Buenos Aires follow a clear socio-economic and spatial gradient, with both individual and neighbourhood disadvantage independently associated with increased needs and highlighting the need for targeted, territorially focused public health strategies.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud Pública, Cátedra de Odontología Preventiva y Comunitaria, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Odontología, Buenos Aires, Argentina",
        "Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina"
      ],
      "name": "Aldo Squassi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud Pública, Cátedra de Odontología Preventiva y Comunitaria, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Odontología, Buenos Aires, Argentina"
      ],
      "name": "Eliana Belén González"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud Pública, Cátedra de Odontología Preventiva y Comunitaria, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Odontología, Buenos Aires, Argentina"
      ],
      "name": "Fiorella Ventura"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud Pública, Cátedra de Odontología Preventiva y Comunitaria, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Odontología, Buenos Aires, Argentina"
      ],
      "name": "Rocio Lazzati"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud Pública, Cátedra de Odontología Preventiva y Comunitaria, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Odontología, Buenos Aires, Argentina"
      ],
      "name": "Glenda Rossi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud Pública, Cátedra de Odontología Preventiva y Comunitaria, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Odontología, Buenos Aires, Argentina"
      ],
      "name": "Pablo Salgado"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning, University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Andrea Cappai"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Marco Dettori"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Deptartment of Cariology, University of Gothenburg Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden",
        "Department of Dental Science and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy",
        "Department of Cariology, Saveetha, Dental College and Hospitals, SIMATS, Chennai, India"
      ],
      "name": "Guglielmo Campus"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Spatial population study on the association among socio-economic indicators and oral health in preschool children in Buenos Aires",
  "uid": "f93c06ee-554d-5ee2-bc39-35ba4f46dc63"
}