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Updated: May 10, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Oral diseases affect some 3.9 billion people
1Centre for Evidence-based Dentistry, Oxford, UK.
Evidence-Based Dentistry
|June 25, 2013
Summary
Oral diseases are highly prevalent, affecting 3.9 billion people globally. Untreated caries is the most common, highlighting a significant global oral health challenge, especially in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Epidemiology
- Oral Health Research
Background:
- Oral diseases represent a substantial global health burden.
- Prevalence, incidence, and mortality data for untreated caries, severe periodontitis, and severe tooth loss are critical for public health planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the global prevalence, incidence, case fatality, and cause-specific mortality of untreated caries, severe periodontitis, and severe tooth loss.
- To quantify the disease burden using disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and years lived with disability (YLDs).
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of observational population-based studies from 1980-2010 using Medline, Embase, and Lilacs.
- Bayesian meta-regression for prevalence estimation and Monte Carlo simulations for uncertainty analysis.
- Quality assessment using the STROBE checklist.
Main Results:
- In 2010, oral diseases affected 3.9 billion people.
- Untreated caries in permanent teeth was the most prevalent condition (35% global prevalence).
- Oral conditions accounted for 15 million DALYs, with a 20.8% increase from 1990-2010.
Conclusions:
- Oral diseases pose a significant and growing global health challenge.
- Urgent attention is needed to address diverse oral health needs, particularly in developing communities.
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