Ageing Population A Major Challenge For NHS Dentistry

Fri, 04 Dec 2009

The UK’s ageing population is set to put NHS dentistry under increased strain, a leading dental expert has claimed.

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser for the British Dental Association (BDA), states that more people are keeping their own teeth due to better oral care .

However, this is putting extra pressure on dentists, with demand rising for tooth erosion care and replacement fillings .

Figures from the BDA reveal that less than a third of over-65’s currently have their own teeth, but that is likely to increase to around 50 per cent within the next 20 years due to the ageing population.

Prof Walmsley said: "It has the potential to add to the workload. Fillings, crowns and root canal treatment have only been designed to last 20 years and may need to be replaced or maintained."

"Decay will cause problems as older people tend to get a different kind of decay, often around the gums which needs to be treated differently."

"There may also be teeth erosion . We can use compounds to build up teeth as well, as fluoride varnishes to strengthen and protect them."

He said that resources would be an issue and added that more research would be needed into how to best tackle these problems.

"The needs are changing and I know the Department of Health is already looking into this," he concluded.

Health Minister Ann Keen said: "The NHS will need to commission services to meet the needs of all people including those who, because of age, infirmity or complex needs, may have difficulty in accessing traditional dental services ."
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