Objectives: Children living with HIV are at elevated risk for oral diseases, including dental caries, due to immunocompromise, long-term antiretroviral therapy, and limited access to dental care. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, severity, and treatment status of dental caries among HIV-infected children aged 6–17 years in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 HIV-infected children aged 6–17 years receiving care at Children’s Hospital 1 between August and December 2024. Oral examinations were performed by calibrated dentists using the WHO Oral Health Assessment Form (2013). Variables assessed included caries prevalence (dmf-t or DMF-T ≥ 1), proportion of untreated caries (d/dmf-t for primary dentition; D/DMF-T for permanent dentition), and caries severity (mean dmf-t/DMF-T and dmf-s/DMF-S). Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests in Stata 14.2, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Overall caries prevalence was 88.3%, and 89.4% of decayed teeth were untreated. Among children aged 6–11 years, 78.9% had caries in primary teeth, and 95.9% of these were untreated. In permanent teeth, caries prevalence increased with age: 61.5% (6–11 years), 81.7% (12–15 years), and 86.0% (16–17 years). Boys exhibited higher mean DMF-T scores, while all girls with caries had untreated decay (100%). Mean DMF-T and DMF-S values increased significantly with age (p < 0.05), reflecting cumulative disease burden. Conclusions: HIV-infected children in Ho Chi Minh City experience a very high prevalence of untreated dental caries, highlighting a critical gap in oral health care. Integrating preventive and therapeutic dental services into HIV care programs is urgently needed to improve oral and overall health outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Trinh et al. (2026) studied this question.