The Importance and Challenge of Oral Health in LMICs: Perspectives from Dental Medicine, Dental Librarianship, and Dental Administration

Abstract

Everyone will be impacted by oral disease at some point in life. Dental caries (tooth decay) is the most widespread chronic disease worldwide, impacting nearly 100% of adults and 60-90% of school children. In addition, about 30% of people aged 65-74 have no natural teeth, and severe periodontal disease impacts 15-20% of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults globally. These staggering statistics demonstrate evidence of significant oral health neglect across the general population. This chapter discusses the challenges and solutions to improving oral health in low- and middle-income countries.