Social, cultural, and economic influences play a critical role in shaping oral health behaviors and caries risk. Certain dental habits can be passed down through families or communities via enculturation and social norms. For example, in some cultures, it is customary to allow infants to fall asleep with bottles containing sugared liquids, an established risk factor for early childhood caries. In other communities, edentulism may be perceived as an inevitable part of aging, and chronic oral pain may be normalized rather than treated.
Economic barriers also significantly impact oral health. Individuals living in poverty or underserved communities may face limited access to preventive dental care, fluoridated water, oral hygiene products, and health education. These structural inequalities contribute to disparities in caries prevalence and treatment outcomes. Identifying and acknowledging these contextual factors is essential for delivering patient-centered care. Dental professionals should be trained to approach such discussions with cultural sensitivity, and when possible, work collaboratively with patients to modify risk-enhancing behaviors and improve access to care.23,25
