Relationship Between the Educational Level and the Self-Perception of Dental Caries in Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years in Sucre Parish in 2025
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Introduction: Critical epidemiology posits that an individual's social position within the productive process determines their way of life, which in turn conditions the health-disease process, building a profile of either deterioration or protection; the educational attainment of adults is a precursor to this insertion. Objective: To analyze the relationship between educational level and the self-perception of dental caries in adults aged 18 to 64 years during 2025. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 433 adults from Sucre Parish. A structured survey was applied to collect sociodemographic information and evaluate the self-perception of dental caries. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and association tests to determine the relationship between educational level and the self-perception of dental caries. Results: Twenty-eight point four percent (28.4%) of the participants reported perceiving dental caries, while 71.6% indicated that they did not consider it present. The most affected activities were eating (18.0%) and smiling or showing the teeth (11.8%), with mild and moderate levels of impact prevailing. A statistically significant association was found between educational level and the self-perception of dental caries (p = 0.039), with higher self-perception observed among individuals with lower educational levels. Conclusion: The self-perception of dental caries in adults does not depend only on the presence of the disease, but also on educational level. Educational level influences how individuals recognize and value their oral health, which highlights the importance of considering social factors in prevention and health promotion strategies.
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