Periodontal conditions in Europe

The aim of the present overview is to evaluate the periodontal conditions in European populations. Study was made of a number of extensive surveys of periodontal diseases carried out in a number of European countries, primarily North West Europe. These surveys often provide considerable detail. However, international comparisons are difficult to perform because of the different methods applied. Therefore, the latest overviews of results of periodontal surveys, based on the CPITN method and stored in the WHO Global Oral Data Bank, are given for the age groups 15-19 years and 35-44 years. Based on this approach, the conclusions are as follows. Trends and prevalences in periodontal health and disease in Europe are clear, at least up to the age of 60 year. Severe periodontal destruction seems to be a limited problem, seldom leading to tooth loss before age 50 and certainly not a major cause of edentulousness before age 60. For a large majority, in most of the populations observed, the progress of periodontal destruction seems to be compatible with the retention of a natural, functioning dentition into older age. However, the periodontal problem might still be of considerable magnitude and importance as bleeding on probing is widely encountered in the younger age groups. Furthermore, 5-15% of populations affected by a serious, irreversible condition at age 40 years is high, compared with most other diseases.