###### Abstract  
_Introduction_. The oral health conditions of migrants coming from middle- and low-income countries to developed countries have been shown to be poorer than those of the host population. Since the phenomenon of migration has continued to grow over the past five decades, the oral health status of migrant populations should be an issue of great concern. _Objectives_. The objective of our observational study was to analyse the periodontal health status and the prevalence of dental caries and lesions of the oral mucosa in a migrant cohort resident in Italy, assessing the association between the oral health status and the educational level of the included patients. _Materials and Methods_. Our research was conducted at the dental department of Policlinico Tor Vergata (Rome, Italy). A sample of 200 migrants coming from middle- and low-income countries, aged between 3 and 37, was included in our study. Each patient underwent a physical examination of the oral cavity, recording the DMFT/dmft index, Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPI), and lesions of the oral mucosa. The one-way ANOVA test was used to establish the correlation between the oral health status and the educational level of the participants. _Results_. Many participants (62.5%) showed a DMFT/dmft Index \(\geq\) 4; only 27% of the migrants had a DMFT/dmft Index lower than 4, and only 21 of them (10.5%) were recorded at 0. A CPI equal to 0 or 1 was observed in 131 patients (65.5%), while only 30 participants presented a CPI equal to or higher than 4 (15%), and 19.5% (39 patients) were assigned to code 2 and 3. Significant statistical differences were found in the CPI after adjusting data for the educational level of the included participants (_p_-value \(<\) 0.01). _Conclusions_. The data obtained in our research highlighted poor oral conditions among the analysed migrant population, recording a high prevalence of dental caries and inadequate oral hygiene habits. migrants; middle-and low-income countries; oral health of migrants; oral hygiene habits; migrant children's oral health status; dental caries; gingival bleeding +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
_Article_  
Oral Health in Migrants: An Observational Study on the Oral Health Status of a Migrant Cohort Coming from Middle- and Low-Income Countries  
by the United Nations [4] highlighted that in 2017 more than 50% of the total number of international migrants settled in developed countries. It has been reported that 1.9 million persons migrated to the European Union (EU) from non-EU countries in 2020, and, in 2021, 5.3% of the entire population living in the EU were migrants [5]. It has been largely demonstrated that poor oral health can have a negative effect on general health, consistently impacting daily activities [6; 7; 8; 9; 10], so much so that oral health was defined as a Leading Health Indicator 2020 [11]. Many developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India, presented a very low oral health literacy [12], which the World Health Organization defined as \"the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health\" [13]. Furthermore, the healthcare system in these countries is often less qualified, not well organized, and without specific regulations [1]. Migrants move from their countries for many reasons, such as conflicts, persecution, and poverty [14; 15], and they face many barriers once they reach the host country: social and economic inequalities, language and legal status problems, different cultural habits, and difficulties in accessing healthcare facilities [16; 17]. Therefore, the phenomenon of migration, which includes economic, social, and emotional disruption, may negatively affect the quality of life of migrants and, consequently, their general health and oral health [18].