3/10/2017 WHO | Oral health

Media centre
Oral health
Fact sheet N°318
April 2012

Key facts
Worldwide, 60–90% of school children and nearly 100% of adults
have dental cavities.
Dental cavities can be prevented by maintaining a constant low level
of fluoride in the oral cavity.
Severe periodontal (gum) disease, which may result in tooth loss, is
found in 15–20% of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults.
Globally, about 30% of people aged 65–74 have no natural teeth.
Oral disease in children and adults is higher among poor and
disadvantaged population groups.
Risk factors for oral diseases include an unhealthy diet, tobacco use,
harmful alcohol use and poor oral hygiene, and social determinants.

Oral health is essential to general health and quality of life. It is a state of

being free from mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral
infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss,
and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in
biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing.

Oral diseases and conditions

The most common oral diseases are dental cavities, periodontal (gum)
disease, oral cancer, oral infectious diseases, trauma from injuries, and
hereditary lesions.

Dental cavities
Worldwide, 60–90% of school children and nearly 100% of adults have
dental cavities, often leading to pain and discomfort.

Periodontal disease
Severe periodontal (gum) disease, which may result in tooth loss, is
found in 15–20% of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults.

Tooth loss
Dental cavities and periodontal disease are major causes of tooth loss.
Complete loss of natural teeth is widespread and particularly affects
older people. Globally, about 30% of people aged 65–74 have no natural
teeth.

Oral cancer
The incidence of oral cancer ranges from one to 10 cases per 100 000
people in most countries. The prevalence of oral cancer is relatively

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higher in men, in older people, and among people of low education and
low income. Tobacco and alcohol are major causal factors.

Fungal, bacterial or viral infections in HIV

Almost half (40–50%) of people who are HIV-positive have oral fungal,
bacterial or viral infections. These often occur early in the course of HIV
infection.

Oro-dental trauma
Across the world, 16-40% of children in the age range 6 to12 years old
are affected by dental trauma due to unsafe playgrounds, unsafe
schools, road accidents, or violence.

Noma
Noma is a gangrenous lesion that affects young children living in
extreme poverty primarily in Africa and Asia. Lesions are severe gingival
disease followed by necrosis (premature death of cells in living tissue) of
lips and chin. Many children affected by noma suffer from other infections
such as measles and HIV. Without any treatment, about 90% of these
children die.

Cleft lip and palate

Birth defects such as cleft lip and palate occur in about one per 500–700
of all births. This rate varies substantially across different ethnic groups
and geographical areas.

Common causes
Risk factors for oral diseases include an unhealthy diet, tobacco use and
harmful alcohol use. These are also risk factors for the four leading
chronic diseases – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory
diseases and diabetes – and oral diseases are often linked to chronic
disease. Poor oral hygiene is also a risk factor for oral disease.

The prevalence of oral disease varies by geographical region, and

availability and accessibility of oral health services. Social determinants
in oral health are also very strong. The prevalence of oral diseases is
increasing in low- and middle-income countries, and in all countries, the
oral disease burden is significantly higher among poor and
disadvantaged population groups.

Prevention and treatment

The burden of oral diseases and other chronic diseases can be
decreased simultaneously by addressing common risk factors. These
include:

decreasing sugar intake and maintaining a well-balanced nutritional

intake to prevent tooth decay and premature tooth loss;
consuming fruit and vegetables that can protect against oral cancer;
stopping tobacco use and decreasing alcohol consumption to reduce
the risk of oral cancers, periodontal disease and tooth loss;
ensuring proper oral hygiene;
using protective sports and motor vehicle equipment to reduce the
risk of facial injuries; and
safe physical environments.

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Dental cavities can be prevented by maintaining a constant low level of

fluoride in the oral cavity. Fluoride can be obtained from fluoridated
drinking water, salt, milk and toothpaste, as well as from professionally-
applied fluoride or mouth rinse. Long-term exposure to an optimal level
of fluoride results in fewer dental cavities in both children and adults.

Most oral diseases and conditions require professional dental care,

however, due to limited availability or inaccessibility, the use of oral
health services is markedly low among older people, people living in rural
areas, and people with low income and education. Oral health care
coverage is low in low- and middle- income countries.

Traditional curative dental care is a significant economic burden for many

high-income countries, where 5–10% of public health expenditure relates
to oral health. In low- and middle-income countries, public oral health
programmes are rare. The high cost of dental treatment can be avoided
by effective prevention and health promotion measures.

WHO response
Public health solutions for oral diseases are most effective when they are
integrated with those for other chronic diseases and with national public
health programmes. The WHO Global Oral Health Programme aligns its
work with the strategy of chronic disease prevention and health
promotion. Emphasis is put on developing global policies in oral health
promotion and oral disease prevention, including:

building oral health policies towards effective control of risks to oral

health;
stimulating development and implementation of community-based
projects for oral health promotion and prevention of oral diseases,
with a focus on disadvantaged and poor population groups;
encouraging national health authorities to implement effective fluoride
programmes for the prevention of dental caries;
advocacy for a common risk factor approach to simultaneously
prevent oral and other chronic diseases; and
providing technical support to countries to strengthen their oral health
systems and integrate oral health into public health.

For more information contact:

WHO Media centre
Telephone: +41 22 791 2222
E-mail: mediainquiries@who.int

Related links

Sugars intake for adults and

children

WHO's work on oral health

Oral health topical overview

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