Demography of Aging and Frailty, and the Epidemiology of Oral Conditions

This chapter covers the population aspects of aging and oral health. First, we consider the demography of aging and frailty, followed by a look at the aging process itself. Multimorbidity and frailty (including the notion of oral frailty) are then described. We also provide an overview of current knowledge of the epidemiology of the common oral conditions, including tooth loss, dental caries, periodontitis, dry mouth, oral mucosal lesions, and temporomandibular disorders. Understanding the epidemiology of oral conditions among older people demands an appreciation of the aging process and the cumulative nature of not only the oral conditions but also the multimorbidity which characterizes old age. The interpretation of oral epidemiological data on older people is difficult. Tooth loss, dental caries, periodontitis, dry mouth, and oral mucosal lesions are all common in older populations. Because they accumulate alongside the other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), dental personnel should resist the temptation to leap to unwarranted causal assumptions, instead thinking in life-course terms to enhance their understanding of this complex area.