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ePaper created 2015-06-05, 15:15:11 | version 1.38.0
I research _The UK is gearing up to host the largest con- ference in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry everheldwithEuroPerio8takingplaceon3–6Juneat London ExCel. Over 100 speakers will contribute to the main scientific programme and there are many additional sponsor sessions. Over 1,500 abstracts have been accepted. Already over 7,000 periodon- tists,implantologists,generaldentistsanddentalhy- gienists from 96 different countries have confirmed their attendance. We expect to have nearly 10,000 people at the conference in total, a new record for a conferenceinthisfield,anditistillnottoolatetoreg- ister. Given the huge popularity of this event, it is per- haps a perfect time to reflect on the state of peri- odontology in the UK. It is clear that periodontal dis- easeisnotgoingtogoawayanytimesoon.Although thereisalackofdetailedepidemiologyofthedisease in the UK, the Adult Dental Health Survey provides a useful indicator of trends in the epidemiology of the disease, even if it probably seriously underestimates true prevalence rates, owing to the limited method- ology used in this survey. The good news is that there has been significant reductions in the number of people with visible plaqueandcalculuspresent,(butthisisstillreported as45percentofthepopulation)andconcomitantre- ductions in the amount of mild periodontal disease, consisting of gingivitis and those with low levels of attachment loss. However, perhaps unexpectedly, this has not been associated with similar reductions in moderate and severe periodontitis. In fact, the number of adults with severe periodontitis (pocket- ing of 6 mm+) has increased from 6 per cent in 1998 to 9 per cent in 2009. The reasons for this may be complexbutarelikelytoincludethefactthatwehave an increasingly aging population, and that dentists are(rightly)takingoutfewerteethevenwhenjudged to have poor long term prognoses. Thisdisconnectionbetweentrendsinplaquecon- troltomoreseveredestructiveperiodontitisisacom- mon finding in a number of recent epidemiological surveys in different populations and underlines the complexity of aetiological factors which determine susceptibility to destructive periodontitis. Although plaque tends to correlate directly with gingival dis- ease,inthemajorityofpeoplethismaynotnecessar- ilyresultintheprogressiontomoresevereperiodon- titis. The major risk factors which are implicated in this process including smoking, genetic factors, and medical factors, particularly diabetes and medica- tions such as calcium channel blocker antihyperten- sive drugs. The impact of the well documented rise in the numbers of older people may be particularly impor- Mixedpicture: Thestateofperiodontology intheUK Author_Prof. Francis Hughes, London 22 I implants2_2015 Access to specialist treatment services within the NHS remain very patchy. [PICTURE: ©LIGHTHUNTER]