The burden of oral diseases in an ageing population and link with general health

Dr. Georgios Tsakos, Reader and Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health, at the University College London, spoke with Dr. Chiraz Guessaier about the lecture he presented at the British Dental Association Conference and Exhibition in May 2016. His lecture was titled: The burden of oral diseases in an ageing population and link with general health.

Highlights

Oral conditions are very prevalent in the global population including restoring decayed teeth and the excessive loss of natural teeth. These diseases have an impact on the quality of life on people and present a significant financial burden as well.

Research shows that not maintaining good oral health throughout the life course can be seen as a risk in general health and well-being in older adults. Longitudinal studies point to edentulousness being a predictor of morbidity and mortality. This may also be an early marker for physical and cognitive function decline in this population. As such, public health agencies should focus on upstream solutions such as integrating health promotion, health policy and advocacy into their activities.

Key Messages

• Epidemiologic evidence shows that it is important to pay attention to the aging and oral health issue.
• Projections show that in the future there will be a higher proportion of older adults with 20+ teeth that are heavily restored could pose a higher financial burden on individuals and societies.
• Maintaining oral health at all ages is important for general health.
• Public health upstream action should integrate oral health through addressing risks that are common across chronic diseases and focus on broader determinants of health.