Association between migration history and oral health: results of the 6th German Oral Health Study (DMS • 6)

Objectives: Studies have demonstrated a significant association between migration history and oral health. Even after adjusting for confounders, migration history remains an independent risk factor for poorer oral health. As part of the 6th German Oral Health Study (DMS • 6), disease and care prevalence among individuals with migration history was surveyed at the population level. This article aims to assess the relationship between migration history, education status, and oral health.
Method and materials: The analyses of the relationship between migration history and various oral health outcomes were conducted separately for younger adolescents (12-year-olds), adults (20-year-olds, 35- to 44-year-olds, 43- to 52-year-olds), and seniors (65- to 74-year-olds, 73- to 82-year-olds).
Results: A significant association between migration history and poorer oral health outcomes, as well as less favorable oral health behaviors, was observed across all age groups. After adjusting for age, gender, and education, individuals with migration history exhibited higher levels of plaque, more bleeding sites, a higher prevalence of decayed teeth, insufficient tooth brushing frequency, and complaint-oriented dental service utilization.
Conclusion: Previous studies have consistently identified education as a risk factor for poorer oral health. In the present study, even after adjusting for education status in multivariate models, the association between migration history and oral health outcomes remained significant. This finding underscores migration history as an independent risk factor for poorer oral health outcomes. This is the first large-scale cohort study in Germany to analyze the relationship between migration history and multiple oral health outcomes across different age groups. Future research should focus on uncovering migration-related factors, health literacy, and health behaviors to better explain the observed differences and improve oral health for migrant populations.