Trends in oral health in the aging population

Increased survival of the natural dentition, persistence of periodontal disease, deterioration of prior dental restorations, root surface caries, and continued incidence of oral cancer represent a complex of emerging oral health problems of the aged in the United States. Additional data on the epidemiology of oral mucous membrane syndromes will help to characterize the prevalence of these diseases in the aging population as well. Improvement in the utilization and accessibility of dental services by the aging cohorts will contribute to the prevention of oral disease in the future. Combined with the substantial growth in the size of this cohort of the population and alterations in the prevalence of these oral health status indicators, changes in the need for and projected utilization of professional oral health services can continue to be anticipated. Clinical research directed toward assessment of efficacy of treatment modalities for prevention of dental disease and maintenance of dental health are essential for the projection of dental health manpower needs for the future. This should also lead to the development of appropriate academic and training programs to meet the changing needs of the elderly.