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Many dentists argue that the root of all disease begins in the mouth, which makes oral care a serious business. For teeth issues, much like other matters of health, the key is preventative care. Therefore, it may be no surprise to hear that nations equipped with robust public healthcare systems seem to fare better in terms of oral health. For nearly a century, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has kept track of which countries rank better.
Does your country make the list? Let’s see that smile! Click on to find out more.
How is oral health evaluated? According to the OECD, they use the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index, which has been in use since the 1930s.
The DMFT Index can be applied to an individual or to larger contexts. For example, an individual that has one decayed tooth, two fillings, and three missing teeth, has a DMFT score of six.
Having good oral health isn’t just about regular dentist visits and treating disease, although this does play a significant role. There are also many lifestyle choices that can improve our oral health.
There are key negative impacts on oral health that are agreed upon by dental practitioners. Sugar and alcohol consumption, as well as smoking prevalence, all impact a nation's oral health rates.
Let’s start with the five nations with the worst oral health in the world. We begin in Eastern Europe and the numbers are certainly shocking.
The country with the fifth-worst oral health in the world is Poland. Children under 12 years of age already have an average of four decayed, missing, or filled teeth.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a quarter of the nation's population aged 15 years or older have severe periodontal disease, and nearly 30% of the population has untreated caries.
The nation with the fourth-worst oral health in the world is the South American nation of Bolivia. Echoing Poland’s statistics, children up to 12 have an average of four decayed, missing, or filled-in teeth.
A study examining oral health in the nation notes that only 50% of Bolivian students own a toothbrush. Nearly 40% of the population have untreated caries, while 18% have severe periodontal disease.
The country with the third-worst oral health in the world is Australia. According to the jarring statistics, 50% of the nation’s six-year-old children have tooth decay.
Among adults, nearly 90% of the population have some sort of tooth decay issue. The widespread consumption of tobacco and alcohol are contributing factors to Australia's oral health troubles.
The country with the second-worst oral health in the world is India. The country’s National Oral Health Program issued a report highlighting that a shocking 90% of the nation’s population has gum disease.
The same report noted that over 50% of Indian citizens do not use a toothbrush. It also noted that 70% of Indian children aged 15 and younger have untreated dental caries.
The country with the world’s worst oral health is the Philippines. The East Asian nation has severe, widespread oral health issues throughout its entire population.
The numbers speak for themselves. Every single Filipino child aged between three and five has cavities. Among adults, 90% of all Filipinos are facing issues with tooth decay.
Let’s move on to the nations with the best oral care in the world. In tenth place, we have a nation, ironically, known for its sweet delicacies. Can you guess what it is?
The nation with the tenth-best oral health in the world is France. France’s healthcare system is a mix between the public healthcare system and other health insurance schemes.
Despite their high ranking, there is no organized strategy on a national level to prevent the prevalence of oral disease. In fact, 16% of the population is dealing with severe periodontal disease.
The nation with the ninth-best oral health in the world is the United States. This may be surprising, as we know that the US is one of the highest consumers of processed, sugary foods.
Despite not having a public healthcare option and dental care being quite expensive, the nation does provide a lot of education on oral health starting from an early age.
The nation with the eighth-best oral health in the world is Mexico. The North American nation actually has quite a strained dental care system in terms of public financing, yet Mexican dentists are among the best trained and most highly skilled.
In fact, Mexico is a country known for what’s called "dental tourism," meaning a place where people travel to specifically for dental care. Mexico receives many Americans seeking more affordable dental care. In addition to its high-quality dentists, individual hygiene habits are generally good.
To complete the North American continent, in seventh place is Canada. Nearly 85% of the Canadian population are reported to have good or excellent oral health.
Canadians have a low prevalence of severe periodontitis and low levels of oral and lip cancers. Additionally, most elderly Canadians also have natural teeth, a marker of good oral care.
Next on the list is Switzerland, ranking sixth. The country is certainly known for its high-quality healthcare across all specializations, and dental care is no different.
While basic insurance does not cover dental costs, there are a number of supplementary insurances that help lift some of the burden. More than 70% of the population describe their oral health as good or very good, and 44% of the adult population had all of their natural teeth (an uptick of 11% since 2002).
Sweden ranks fifth on the list. The nation is also known for its high-quality health care across specializations. What makes Sweden quite special is that dental services are covered for patients up to 23 years of age.
This extraordinary feat ensures that preventative care is accessible from early on in life. Since the turn of the century, there has also been greater emphasis on oral care for the elderly, ensuring more people keep their natural teeth.
This one might come as a surprise, as in North America the nation has a reputation for bad teeth, but ranking fourth on the list is the United Kingdom.
The stereotype is clearly outdated, as the UK has the same DMFT score as Sweden. In fact, in terms of oral care trends and statistics, the UK and Sweden nearly mirror each other.
Back to Scandinavia to reveal the nation with the third-best oral health in the world, and it’s Finland! The country owes its ranking to the high-quality dental care that is readily accessible to the population.
Germany ranks second on the list. The nation’s oral health agenda focuses on brushing teeth multiple times a day and ensuring access to routine check-ups. The nation has made significant improvements since the turn of the century.
Which Scandinavian nation tops the list? It’s Denmark! Similar to other countries, it has experienced great improvements in the oral care of its elderly population, ensuring most retain their natural teeth. For those under the age of 18, dental care is free.
Sources: (Science Direct) (World Health Organization) (Australian Broadcasting Company) (Local Dental Clinics) (Nature) (Canadian Dental Association) (Science Direct)
Countries with the best (and worst) oral health in the world
Which nations fare better in terms of oral health?
HEALTH Dentist
Many dentists argue that the root of all disease begins in the mouth, which makes oral care a serious business. For teeth issues, much like other matters of health, the key is preventative care. Therefore, it may be no surprise to hear that nations equipped with robust public healthcare systems seem to fare better in terms of oral health. For nearly a century, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has kept track of which countries rank better.
Does your country make the list? Let’s see that smile! Click on to find out more.