Oral health inequalities concerning socially vulnerable population groups in the United Kingdom: a scoping review.

Background Marginalised and socially excluded groups face discrimination, multiple health risk factors, and barriers to accessing care, leading to poor health outcomes and substantial inequalities.Aim This scoping review synthesises evidence on the oral health of socially vulnerable populations in the United Kingdom, including people experiencing homelessness, prisoners, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, looked-after children, sex workers, and asylum seekers and refugees.Methods A systematic search of quantitative studies published between January 2000 and December 2021 was conducted, including clinical and subjective measures of oral health, as well as oral health-related behaviours and dental service use. Peer-reviewed articles were searched using Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Grey literature was also included.Results Of the 22 included studies, most focused on homeless and prisoner populations. Overall, studies reported a high prevalence of caries (61-67%), periodontal disease (56-92%), and poor self-reported oral health (71-87%), as well as overall low and mainly symptomatic dental attendance. Studies were predominantly local and based on small samples. The search did not identify any publications for sex workers, asylum seekers and refugees.Conclusions Socially vulnerable groups in the United Kingdom experience significant oral health inequalities. There is a need for more comprehensive research and targeted policies to address these inequalities.