Dental and periodontal health in Finnish adults in 2000 and 2011

Abstract

Objective: We assessed dental and periodontal health in adults aged ≥30 years living in southern and northern Finland as part of the Health 2000/2011 Surveys (BRIF8901).

Material and methods: Clinical findings in 2000 (n = 2967) and 2011 (n = 1496) included the presence of teeth and number of teeth with caries, fillings, fractures or periodontal pockets.

Results: Edentulousness decreased in all age groups. The prevalence of those with no caries increased from 67% to 69% in men and from 80% to 85% in women, and of those with no periodontal pocketing from 26% to 30% in men and from 39% to 42% in women. In 2011, the mean number of decayed teeth was 0.8 in men and 0.3 in women, and the corresponding mean numbers of teeth with deepened periodontal pockets 5.6 and 3.7. The gender difference had levelled concerning edentulousness, number of teeth and DMF teeth, but still existed in the occurrence of caries and periodontal pocketing.

Conclusion: The findings were in line with other population-based reports in the 2000s. However, periodontal health in Finland seems not to be as good as in many European countries and in the USA.