Edentulism among older adults in China, India, Ghana, and South Africa

Although the disability adjusted life-years (DALYs) for complete tooth loss (edentulism) have decreased worldwide, the profile of edentulism differs between and within countries. In particular, the evidence of oral health, as seen in edentulism rates, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. Another worldwide trend is the increase in the number of people age 65 years and older. Between 2015 and 2050, it is expected that the annual increase in this population will be 27.1 million. Along with this increase in the older adult population will be an increased burden of chronic periodontal and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with higher proportions seen in LMICs compared to high-income countries (HICs).
Source: Dental Abstracts - Category: Dentistry Tags: The Big Picture Source Type: research