The aim this study was to record the oral health in adults in Istanbul, Turkey, and to evaluate the risk indicators associated with a high significant caries index (SiC). A random sample of 2183 individuals in Bayrampasa district aged between 18 and 74 years were invited for a free dental examination and interview. The mean decayed, missing and filled teeth index (DMFT) was 11.44 and the SiC was 14.00, increasing from 6.00 for the age group 18-19 years to 15.32 at 33-44 years and 28.00 at 65-74 years. Logistic regression analysis showed that older age, female sex and rural origin of birth were the significant risk indicators for a high SiC index.