Figures show that oral health is one of the major public health challenges across Europe, and will become even more so in the face of an ageing population and increasing longevity. The only way to tackle this challenge is to focus on innovative care models that respond to needs that cannot be met by public health systems.
Oral health has long been neglected on the global health agenda, and is emerging as one of the great challenges of the present and future for health systems worldwide. This is confirmed by the “Global oral health status report: towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030” published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which covers 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia.
This ambitious study concludes that oral diseases are among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide, affecting around 3.5 billion people. The study also warns that oral diseases, although largely preventable, are a major burden on global health. It also points out that they affect people throughout their lives, causing physical symptoms, functional limitations and detrimental effects on emotional, mental and social well-being.
Overview of oral health in Europe
Figures show that the European Region is home to 466 million people affected by oral disorders, with more than half of all adults suffering from a major oral disease in 2019, the highest prevalence worldwide. In the period between 1990 and 2019, the number of cases of major oral diseases in this region grew by more than 42 million, an increase of 10%.
In particular, the European Region had the highest prevalence of permanent tooth decay worldwide, affecting 33.6% of the population, which translates into almost 335 million cases in 2019. It also had the second highest proportion of cases of edentulism, with 25.2% or 88 million people aged 20 years and over.
It is also worth noting the 16.1% increase in the prevalence of severe periodontal disease during this period. Given that periodontal disease peaks around the age of 55 and remains high into old age, the burden of disease associated with an ageing population is expected to increase.
The report also details that nearly 70,000 new cases of oral cancer were reported, representing 18.5% of the global total, with more than 26,500 deaths attributable to this type of illness by 2020.
The challenge: the need for strategy and resources
There is no doubt that, in the light of the data, oral health is one of the major public health challenges across Europe. And with a rapidly ageing population and increasing longevity, we face a future where oral health needs will be much greater.
The findings of the WHO report underline the critical need for comprehensive strategies to improve oral health among older adults in Europe, addressing both preventive measures and access to care.
Key to this is securing sufficient staff and funding for oral health in ministries of health or other national health agencies, integrating it into strategies and initiatives on non-communicable diseases and universal health coverage.
The WHO therefore considers it necessary to incorporate oral health services into primary health care at all levels. This will not be possible without developing new models that include both oral health professionals and other primary care workers to effectively meet the needs of the population.
The problem: lack of care resources
The main common problem facing public health services in Europe is the shortage of human, material and financial resources to respond to these growing needs. But it is not only a question of resources, but also of vision and social commitment, especially with vulnerable groups such as dependent persons.
Even today, there is still an alarming exclusion of groups that do not have the dental care they deserve to be able to enjoy the right to eat normally or to smile without being ashamed. We are talking about millions of older people and people with disability who, because of their situation, cannot access the oral health care they need.
Moreover, on a continental level, more than half of the total expenditure on oral health care comes from out-of-pocket payments, so the main reason why European citizens forego oral health care is financial.
In the face of manifestly insufficient means, public-private partnerships emerge as the only way to sustainable long-term care for dependency, and the way in which we can guarantee access to the necessary health care for millions of people at risk of being completely neglected.
The solution: promoting new innovative models
At Lura Care we have been demonstrating for a decade now that home dental care is perfectly viable. We have consolidated a proven model of mobile dentistry services, which we started in Spain and have successfully exported to other countries such as Italy and the United Kingdom.
Today we are the leading company in Europe, where we have cared for more than 120,000 people thanks to the trust placed in us by the more than 1,000 care homes and day centres with which we collaborate.
We have achieved this by developing a model based on services adapted to the specific needs of these groups, carrying out thousands of free dental check-ups every year, and promoting training activities in the field of prevention, aimed at both residents and centre staff.
We are also committed to offering affordable prices and flexible financing options, so that no one is left without the care they need for financial reasons, and to reinvesting part of our income in the centres to help improve their services.
But there is still a long way to go, so at Lura Care we will continue to work tirelessly until we achieve our great goal: to make the universal right to a healthy smile a reality for everyone, wherever they are and whatever their condition.