The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of oral health conditions on cognitive functioning on basis of data samples from several European countries.
Secondary analyses were ...conducted of data from wave 2 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) which includes 14 European countries and is intended to be representative of each country's middle and later adulthood population. Information on word recall, verbal fluency, and numeracy as well as information on chewing ability and denture wearing status was available for a total of 28,693 persons aged 50+. Multivariate regression analysis was used to detect influences of oral health parameters on cognitive functioning (p < 0.05).
Persons with good chewing ability or without dentures had significantly better word recall, verbal fluency, and numeracy skills than persons with chewing impairment or with dentures. The observed patterns of parameter estimates imply differential oral health impacts on numeracy compared to word recall and verbal fluency.
The present study provides novel large-scale epidemiological evidence supportive of an association between oral health and cognitive functioning. Future research should intend to verify the precise causal links between oral health conditions, various cognitive dimensions, and their neural correlates.
Oral diseases are a major global public health problem affecting over 3·5 billion people. However, dentistry has so far been unable to tackle this problem. A fundamentally different approach is now ...needed. In this second of two papers in a Series on oral health, we present a critique of dentistry, highlighting its key limitations and the urgent need for system reform. In high-income countries, the current treatment-dominated, increasingly high-technology, interventionist, and specialised approach is not tackling the underlying causes of disease and is not addressing inequalities in oral health. In low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), the limitations of so-called westernised dentistry are at their most acute; dentistry is often unavailable, unaffordable, and inappropriate for the majority of these populations, but particularly the rural poor. Rather than being isolated and separated from the mainstream health-care system, dentistry needs to be more integrated, in particular with primary care services. The global drive for universal health coverage provides an ideal opportunity for this integration. Dental care systems should focus more on promoting and maintaining oral health and achieving greater oral health equity. Sugar, alcohol, and tobacco consumption, and their underlying social and commercial determinants, are common risk factors shared with a range of other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Coherent and comprehensive regulation and legislation are needed to tackle these shared risk factors. In this Series paper, we focus on the need to reduce sugar consumption and describe how this can be achieved through the adoption of a range of upstream policies designed to combat the corporate strategies used by the global sugar industry to promote sugar consumption and profits. At present, the sugar industry is influencing dental research, oral health policy, and professional organisations through its well developed corporate strategies. The development of clearer and more transparent conflict of interest policies and procedures to limit and clarify the influence of the sugar industry on research, policy, and practice is needed. Combating the commercial determinants of oral diseases and other NCDs should be a major policy priority.
Abstract
Associations between education and oral health have frequently been reported, but until now there has been no causal evidence. Exploiting exogenous variation in the duration of schooling due ...to 1947 and 1972 reforms in mandatory schooling in the United Kingdom, we examined the causal relationship between education and tooth loss in older age. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from waves 3 (2006–2007), 5 (2010–2011), and 7 (2014–2015) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. We used a 2-stage least squares instrumental variable approach and included 5,667 respondents (average age = 67.8 years; 44.4% were men) in the analyses, of whom 819 (14.5%) had no teeth. The schooling reforms increased the duration of education by an average of 0.624 years (95% confidence interval: 0.412, 0.835). For respondents born within ±6 years of the pivotal cohorts, a 1-year increment of education causally reduced the probability of edentulism by 9.1 (95% confidence interval: 1.5, 16.8) percentage points. The effects were stronger for the 1947 reform than for the 1972 reform. Results were robust to broadening of the cohort bandwidth and functional form of the cohort trend. The findings suggest that investment in education produces improved oral health later in life.
Fluoride toothpaste (FT) has recently been included in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. Whereas it is essential for preventing dental caries, its current affordability around the globe ...remains unclear. This study aimed to analyse the affordability of FT in as many as possible countries worldwide, to capture the extent of variations in FT affordability between high-, middle- and low-income countries. A standardized protocol was developed to collect country-specific information about the characteristics of the cheapest available FT at a regular point of purchase. 82 members of the WHO Global Oral Health Network of Chief Dental Officers (CDOs), directors of WHO Collaborative Centres and other oral health experts collected data using mobile phone technology. In line with established methodologies to assess affordability, the Fluoride Toothpaste Affordability Ratio (FTAR) was calculated as the expenditure associated with the recommended annual consumption of FT relative to the daily wage of the lowest-paid unskilled government worker (FTAR >1 = unaffordable spending on fluoride toothpaste). There are significant differences in the affordability of FT across 78 countries. FT was strongly affordable in high-income countries, relatively affordable in upper middle-income countries, and strongly unaffordable in lower middle-income and low-income countries. The affordability of FT across WHO Regions was dependent upon the economic mix of WHO Regions' member states. FT is still unaffordable for many people, particularly in low-income settings. Strategies to improve the universal affordability of FT should be part of health policy decisions in order to contribute to reducing dental caries as a global public health problem.
BackgroundFluoride toothpaste (FT) has recently been included in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. Whereas it is essential for preventing dental caries, its current affordability around the ...globe remains unclear. This study aimed to analyse the affordability of FT in as many as possible countries worldwide, to capture the extent of variations in FT affordability between high-, middle- and low-income countries.MethodsA standardized protocol was developed to collect country-specific information about the characteristics of the cheapest available FT at a regular point of purchase. 82 members of the WHO Global Oral Health Network of Chief Dental Officers (CDOs), directors of WHO Collaborative Centres and other oral health experts collected data using mobile phone technology. In line with established methodologies to assess affordability, the Fluoride Toothpaste Affordability Ratio (FTAR) was calculated as the expenditure associated with the recommended annual consumption of FT relative to the daily wage of the lowest-paid unskilled government worker (FTAR >1 = unaffordable spending on fluoride toothpaste).ResultsThere are significant differences in the affordability of FT across 78 countries. FT was strongly affordable in high-income countries, relatively affordable in upper middle-income countries, and strongly unaffordable in lower middle-income and low-income countries. The affordability of FT across WHO Regions was dependent upon the economic mix of WHO Regions' member states.ConclusionFT is still unaffordable for many people, particularly in low-income settings. Strategies to improve the universal affordability of FT should be part of health policy decisions in order to contribute to reducing dental caries as a global public health problem.
Background
In many market settings individuals are encouraged to switch health care providers as a means of ensuring more competition. Switching may have a potentially undesirable side effect of ...increasing unnecessary treatment. Focusing on the most common source of medical radiation (dental X-rays), the purpose of this study was to assess whether, upon switching dentist, X-ray exposure increases depending on the type of provider payment.
Methods
The analysis used longitudinal data from 2005 to 2016 covering a 5% random sample of the Scottish adult population covered by the National Health Service (NHS). Multiple fixed-effects panel regression analyses were employed to determine the correlation of provider remuneration with patients’ likelihood of receiving an X-ray upon switching to a new dentist other things equal. A broad set of covariates including a patient’s copayment status was controlled for.
Results
Upon switching to a dentist who was paid fee-for-service, patients had a by 9.6%-points (95% CI 7.4–11.8%) higher probability of receiving an X-ray, compared to switching to a salaried dentist. Results were robust when accounting for patient exemption status, as well as unobserved patient and dentist characteristics.
Conclusions
In comparison to staying with the same dentist, patients may be exposed to substantially more X-rays upon switching to a dentist who is paid fee-for-service. There may need to be better guidance and regulation to protect the health of those who have to switch provider due to moving and greater caution in advocating voluntary switching.
As part of the Global Strategy on Oral health, the World Health Organization (WHO) is exploring cost-effective interventions for oral health, including taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). ...To inform this process, this umbrella review aimed to identify the best available estimates pertaining to the impact of SSB taxation on the reduction of sugars intake, and the sugars-caries dose-response, such that estimates of the impact of SSB taxation on averting dental caries in both high (HIC) and low and middle (LMIC) countries be available.
The questions addressed were: (1) what are the effects of SSB taxation on consumption of SSBs and (2) sugars? (3) What is the effect on caries of decreasing sugars? and (4) what is the likely impact of a 20% volumetric SSB tax on the number of active caries prevented over 10 years? Data sources included PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Systematic Review Register, and PROSPERO. The review was conducted with reference to JBI guidelines. The quality of included systematic reviews was assessed using AMSTAR to identify best evidence.
From 419 systematic reviews identified for questions 1 & 2, and 103 for question 3, 48 (Questions 1 & 2) and 21 (Question 3) underwent full text screening, yielding 14 and five included reviews respectively. Best available data indicated a 10% tax would reduce SSB intake by 10.0% (95% CI: -5.0, 14.7%) in HIC and by 9% (range -6.0 to 12.0%) in LMIC, and that a 20% tax would reduce free sugars intake on average by 4.0 g/d in LMIC and 4.4 g/d in HIC. Based on best available dose response data, this could reduce the number of teeth with caries per adults (HIC and LMIC) by 0.03 and caries occurrence in children by 2.7% (LMIC) and 2.9% (HIC), over a 10-year period.
Best available data suggest a 20% volumetric SSB tax would have a modest impact on prevalence and severity of dental caries in both HIC and LMIC.
doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00590.x
Income‐related inequalities in denture‐wearing by Europeans aged 50 and above
Background: Despite its importance for the planning of future treatment needs ...and an optimised allocation of health care resources, only little is known about socio‐economic inequalities in denture‐wearing by late middle‐aged and elderly generations.
Objectives: To describe income‐related inequalities in denture‐wearing by elderly populations residing in different European countries.
Material and methods: Data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE Wave 2) were used to assess income‐related inequalities in denture‐wearing by means of Concentration Indices (CI) for populations aged 50+ from 14 different European countries.
Results: We could identify a significant disproportionate concentration of denture‐wearing amongst the poor elderly populations in Denmark (CI = −0.3534, corresponding to the highest level of inequality), Sweden (CI = −0.3479), Switzerland (CI = −0.2013), Greece (CI = −0.1953), the Netherlands (CI = −0.1413), France (CI = −0.1339), Austria (CI = −0.0974), Czech Republic (CI = −0.0959), Belgium (CI = −0.0947), Germany (CI = −0.0762), Ireland (CI = −0.0575) and Spain (CI = −0.0482, corresponding to the lowest level of pro‐poor inequality). Poland became evident as the only country in which individuals from the upper end of the income scale wear more dentures than their peers from the lower end of the income scale (CI = 0.0379). No significant income‐related inequalities were observable in Italy.
Conclusions: There is considerable income‐related inequality in denture‐wearing by several elderly populations in Europe. Future resource planning for prosthetic care should, thus, specifically distinguish between the treatment needs of different socio‐economic groups within elderly populations.
Oral diseases are one of the most common diseases globally, yet maximizing health benefits from available resources continues to be a pivotal challenge. Similar to recall appointments in many other ...medical settings, dental check-up examinations are an essential element of regular treatment. Check-ups are important for ensuring good health but their frequent consumption also implies substantial aggregate health care costs. Although it is crucial to determine appropriate utilization amounts, little is known about the role of financial incentives for both patient and provider. Our analyses relied on ten-year administrative panel data from the Scottish National Health Service including about 1.3 million dental treatment claims which were issued between January 1998 and September 2007. Controlling for unobserved heterogeneity, we estimated a series of fixed-effects models to identify the impact of changes in provider payment and patients' cost sharing on check-up utilization. A significantly higher utilization of examinations was observed if dentists were paid fee-for service compared with salary. Comparably little variation in check-up use was attributable to different extents of patient co-payment. These findings establish that different provider payment methods have a substantial impact on check-up utilization. Because recall appointments in many other medical settings have similar features as dental check-ups, these findings may be relevant for health care decision makers who seek to optimize incentive schemes for all kinds of health care.
•Examines impact of provider payment and patient co-payment on dental check-up use.•Employs administrative panel data from NHS Scotland which include 1.3 million treatment claims.•Significant increase in check-up use if providers receive fee-for-service instead of salary payment.•Comparably little variation in response to different extents of patient co-payment.•Establishes that provider payment has substantial impact on use of outpatient medical check-ups.
Studies have investigated the relationships between chronic systemic and dental conditions, but it remains unclear how such knowledge can be used in clinical practice. In this article, we provide an ...overview of existing systematic reviews, identifying and evaluating the most frequently reported dental-chronic disease correlations and common risk factors.
We conducted a systematic review of existing systematic reviews (umbrella review) published between 1995 and 2017 and indexed in 4 databases. We focused on the 3 most prevalent dental conditions and 10 chronic systemic diseases with the highest burden of disease in Germany. Two independent reviewers assessed all articles for eligibility and methodologic quality using the AMSTAR criteria and extracted data from the included studies.
Of the initially identified 1,249 systematic reviews, 32 were included for qualitative synthesis. The dental condition with most frequently observed correlations to chronic systemic diseases was periodontitis. The chronic systemic disease with the most frequently observed correlations with a dental condition was type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Most dental-chronic disease correlations were found between periodontitis and T2DM and periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Frequently reported common risk factors were smoking, age, sex, and overweight. Using the AMSTAR criteria, 2 studies were assessed as low quality, 26 studies as moderate quality, and 4 studies as high quality.
The quality of included systematic reviews was heterogeneous. The most frequently reported correlations were found for periodontitis with T2DM and for periodontitis with cardiovascular disease. However, the strength of evidence for these and other disease correlations is limited, and the evidence to assess the causality of these disease correlations remains unclear. Future research should focus on the causality of disease links in order to provide more decisive evidence with respect to the design of intersectoral care processes.
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