Onaedo Ilozumba

and 3 more

Objectives: Global oral health is a crucial topic since this (largely preventable) burden affects 3.5 million people worldwide, disproportionately impacting disadvantaged groups and exacerbating in low and middle-income countries like Cabo Verde. This exploratory study aimed to understand the oral health landscape for children in Cabo Verde. With this knowledge, we hope to provide guidance for oral health promotion and disease prevention in similar resource-constrained settings. Methods: Purposive sampling identified 38 stakeholders, including 20 schoolchildren and 8 parents. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Results: Four main themes emerged from the data: oral health knowledge, oral health practices, dietary habits, and dental service accessibility. As main challenges were identified: time constraints hindering comprehensive oral health education in schools, parental struggles in managing children’s habits and the pervasive availability of sugar-rich foods driven by affordability and influence, limiting access to healthier alternatives. Public dental facilities face severe issues; professional oral health accessibility is currently a significant challenge. Discussion: The study reveals complex oral health challenges for Cabo Verdean children, highlighting systemic obstacles. Despite government claims of free dental care, service absence and high costs impede prevention. The financial barrier aligns with global trends, but Cabo Verde’s unique factors complicate this. Tourism’s impact on oral health, particularly sweets provision, is underexplored. These results emphasize the necessity of addressing oral health services in Cabo Verde, where schools and parents show initiative, but broad population-level improvement necessitates accessible dental care and dietary changes.