{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T11:28:57Z","timestamp":1773746937205,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773705600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dentistry Journal"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Oral health during adolescence is a key determinant of long-term well-being and health equity. Despite widespread recognition of its importance, disparities in knowledge, motivation, and access to care persist. This study was conducted in Salt (Catalonia, Spain), a municipality with a population of approximately 33,000, characterized by a low average household disposable income (\u20ac12,512 per capita) and a high proportion of immigrant residents (37.76%). These sociodemographic characteristics may influence adolescents\u2019 oral health behaviour, perceptions, and access to dental care. The study aimed to explore adolescents\u2019 knowledge, habits, and attitudes towards oral health in this context, with barriers and protective factors, to inform community-based health promotion strategies. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using focus group discussions with Spanish adolescents aged between 12 and 16, following ethical approval and informed consent from legal guardians. Data were systematically analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The adolescents had moderate oral health literacy, with basic knowledge of dental caries and prevention, but notable gaps in their knowledge regarding systemic consequences and complementary resources. Oral health behaviours and practices were shaped by social, economic, and normative influences, while parental involvement, community support, and school-based initiatives emerged as key assets for the promotion of oral health. Conclusions: While adolescents in Salt show awareness of oral hygiene, structural, motivational, and informational barriers limit comprehensive oral health practices. Interventions should move beyond knowledge-based education towards culturally adapted, participatory, and asset-based approaches to promote sustainable improvements in adolescent oral health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/dj14030176","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T10:21:41Z","timestamp":1773742901000},"page":"176","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Building Oral Health Literacy in Adolescence: A Qualitative Exploration of Knowledge and Behaviours in Spain"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Olabarrieta-Zaro","family":"Elena","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Primary Health Care Centre Alfons Mor\u00e9 i Paretas, Passeig Marqu\u00e8s de Camps 52\u201354, 17190 Salt, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bernardo-Vilamitjana","family":"Nat\u00e0lia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Primary Health Care Centre Alfons Mor\u00e9 i Paretas, Passeig Marqu\u00e8s de Camps 52\u201354, 17190 Salt, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Figueroa-Marc\u00e9","family":"Laura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Primary Health Care Centre Alfons Mor\u00e9 i Paretas, Passeig Marqu\u00e8s de Camps 52\u201354, 17190 Salt, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bastardo-L\u00f3pez","family":"Zoila","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Primary Health Care Centre Alfons Mor\u00e9 i Paretas, Passeig Marqu\u00e8s de Camps 52\u201354, 17190 Salt, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3893-4231","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Reig-Garcia","family":"Gl\u00f2ria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, University of Girona, Emili Grahit 77, 17003 Girona, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Pujiula-Blanch","family":"Montserrat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Primary Health Care Centre Alfons Mor\u00e9 i Paretas, Passeig Marqu\u00e8s de Camps 52\u201354, 17190 Salt, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"37","article-title":"Systematic review: Change in the quality of life of children and adolescents younger than 14 years old after oral health interventions: A systematic review","volume":"35","author":"Antunes","year":"2013","journal-title":"Pediatr. 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