Oral health improvements in Switzerland over 20 years

Abstract

While the time trends in oral health are favourable, differences still persist in dental status and in prosthetic dental restorations (PDR) between population subgroups. This study aimed to identify changes in oral health in Switzerland over two decades and to describe their relationship to sociodemographic factors in 2012. Swiss Health Surveys were conducted in 1992, 2002, and 2012. The mean number of missing teeth and the prevalence of PDR were calculated at each time point. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess associations between the prevalence of PDR and sociodemographic factors. The mean number of missing teeth decreased from five in 1992 to three in 2012. Dental status - as indicated by the number of teeth present - improved across all sociodemographic groups, with the greatest improvements being found in obese participants and in participants with the lowest incomes and educational levels. The prevalence of implant-based restorations increased from 3.2% in 2002 to 9.8% in 2012, and the shift from fixed to removable restorations occurred in the age group being 10 years older. The overall prevalence of PDR decreased in middle-aged people. In conclusion, over the two decades of the study, the oral health of the Swiss population substantially improved. Although sociodemographic differences persisted, they decreased considerably in terms of the number of missing teeth and percentage of the population with a functional dentition.

Keywords: dental restoration; epidemiology; oral health; survey; tooth loss.