Age Differences in Oral Function and Unmet Dental Care Among Korean Adults

BACKGROUND: Unmet dental care is a key indicator of oral health inequality and is associated with oral functional decline and frailty in later life. Because oral function may influence dental care utilisation across age groups, age-stratified evaluation is warranted. This study examined age-specific factors associated with unmet dental care among Korean adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analysed pooled data from the 2022 and 2024 Korean Community Health Surveys (n = 463,513). Participants aged ≥ 40 years were stratified into ≤ 64 and ≥ 65 age groups. Unmet dental care was defined as self-reported inability to receive needed dental treatment in the past year. Survey-weighted Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The prevalence of unmet dental care was 16.1% (95% CI: 15.8-16.4) among adults aged ≤ 64 years and 14.6% (95% CI: 14.1-15.1) among those aged ≥ 65 years. Following these prevalence estimates, age-specific associations were identified. Among adults aged ≤ 64 years, higher education and economic activity were associated with a higher prevalence of unmet dental care, whereas physical activity and toothbrushing after lunch were associated with a lower prevalence. Among adults aged ≥ 65 years, female sex and toothbrushing after lunch were associated with a lower prevalence, while living with a spouse was associated with a higher prevalence. Poor subjective oral health and chewing difficulty were associated with unmet dental care in both age groups. A significant interaction between subjective oral health status and chewing difficulty was observed only in the ≤ 64 age group. CONCLUSION: Determinants of unmet dental care differ by age group, underscoring the need for age-tailored oral health strategies that incorporate oral functional assessment into community-based care.