Global Burden and Inequality of Dental Caries, 1990 to 2019

Abstract

Previous studies on the global burden of caries primarily focused on simple descriptive statistics. We aimed to characterize the burden, trends, and inequalities of untreated caries of permanent and deciduous teeth from 1990 to 2019 at the global, regional, and national levels through an array of analytic approaches. Estimates of caries burden were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Decomposition analysis was performed to examine the contribution of demographic and epidemiologic factors to the evolving number of prevalent caries cases. In portfolio analysis, the caries epidemiologic profile of each country was categorized by terciles of age-standardized prevalence in 2019 and average annual percentage change from 1990 to 2019. Sociodemographic attribution analysis was performed to reveal the scale of inequality in burden of caries. Age-standardized prevalence of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth decreased 3.6% (95% uncertainty interval, 2.6% to 4.5%) and 3.0% (1.3% to 4.9%), respectively. Population growth was the key driver of the changes in the number of caries cases, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (percentage contribution: 126.6%, permanent teeth; 103.0%, deciduous teeth). Caries prevalence in the permanent dentition was lower in more developed countries, whereas a reverse trend was noted in the deciduous dentition, except for the highest sociodemographic quintile where caries prevalence was the lowest. Globally, 64.6 million (95% CI, 64.4 to 64.9 million) and 62.9 million (62.8 to 63.1 million) prevalent cases of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth were attributable to sociodemographic inequality in 2019. This amounted to 3.2% (3.2% to 3.2%) and 12.1% (12.1% to 12.1%) of the global number of prevalent cases of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth. Burden of dental caries remains a global public health challenge. A systemwide reform of the global oral health care system is needed to tackle the causes of the burden and inequality of dental caries.

Caries Experience and Erosive Tooth Wear in Finnish Men Conscripts 2021: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The same is true for mean DMFT values. Furthermore, the age-standardized prevalence of caries in Finland in permanent teeth has been found to be below or near the international average [ 28 ]. In the same study, the age-standardized prevalence of caries in deciduous teeth is significantly lower than the international age-standardized average, a trend that has been apparent for the last 30 years.…”

“…In the same study, the age-standardized prevalence of caries in deciduous teeth is significantly lower than the international age-standardized average, a trend that has been apparent for the last 30 years. The reason given for this was the high sociodemographic index of the country and that preventive actions are working [ 28 ]. These factors may help to explain why the development among the conscripts is favorable, and no deterioration has been observed in the study group, either.…”

Individual, Family, and Socioeconomic Contributors to Dental Caries in Children from Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…While we cannot confirm the direct association of these factors with caries, our findings suggest a cumulative impact on caries. Dental caries is the highest cause of morbidity in children, with 64.6 million and 62.9 million prevalent cases of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth globally [ 49 ].…”

Childhood Caries Management

“…The effect of inequality on caries cases becomes further exacerbated based upon the degree of inequality. In fact, it is found in a study on the relationship between caries burden and inequality that a comparably high degree of inequality was observed across all countries within the poorest quintile over the last three decades [ 7 ].…”