Adult Dental Health Survey 2009: common oral health conditions and their impact on the population

The oral health of British adults, as measured clinically, is generally fairly good and improving, particularly among younger age groups. The prevalence of dental caries and the need for restorative treatment may have peaked for young adults in the 1980s and is now in sharp decline, but many older adults require complex treatment just to maintain their dentate state after the effects of higher decay rates in their past. The reasons for the continued reduction in dental caries are not clear, welcome though they are, and understanding the reasons may be important if we hope to maintain the trajectory. Low level periodontal disease is also in decline, but the increase in tooth wear in young adults and the increase in the proportion of deeper periodontal pockets are causes for some concern.