title: Global epidemiology of dental caries and severe periodontitis - a comprehensive review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental caries and periodontitis are the most common oral diseases and major causes of tooth loss.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To perform a review of global prevalence and incidence of dental caries and periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed. MEDLINE database and EMBASE database were used to search for eligible publications using keywords and MeSH terms. Additionally, WHO databank was used for obtaining dental caries information and PUBMED for a search on trends of dental caries prevalence and severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the last four decades, the prevalence and severity of dentine carious lesions among 5- and 12-year-olds have declined; the decay-component is very high, with the lowest prevalence among 12-year-olds in high-income countries, which also had the lowest prevalence among 35- to 44-year-olds; and the number of retained teeth has increased around the globe. The prevalence of periodontitis is high, with approximately 10% of the global population affected by severe periodontitis. Study heterogeneity and methodological issues hamper comparisons across studies and over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the prevalence of dental caries has decreased, the disease is prevalent in all age groups. The prevalence of periodontitis is high. There is insufficient evidence to conclude that the prevalence of periodontitis has changed over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Function and Prosthetic Dentistry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jo E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Frencken
authors.affiliation: Periodontal Research Group, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Dental School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Care Dentistry, Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stenhouse
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laverty
authors.affiliation: Periodontal Research Group, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Dental School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dietrich
mesh_terms: D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: dental caries; epidemiology; incidence; periodontitis; prevalence; review; severe periodontitis; trends