The FDI World Dental Federation released “Achieving a Healthy Ageing Society” to emphasize the urgent need to adapt health systems to meet the increasing oral health needs of aging populations worldwide during the World Oral Health Forum held at the FDI World Dental Congress in Buenos Aires this week.
Also available is the “Roadmap for Healthy Ageing,” a quick reference guide outlining strategies and actions that stakeholders can implement to address the oral health needs of older adults developed by FDI’s Oral Health for an Ageing Population (OHAP) Task Team.
The roadmap proposes a range of strategies and actions that can be implemented locally or globally to meet the needs or older adults with varying levels of dependency, referred to as the Lucerne Care Pathway.
“The roadmap is unique in several ways. First, it reminds us that population aging is a global concern and that oral health is a fundamental right, indispensable for healthy aging,” said Sophie Dartevelle, DDS, OHAP Task Team member and president of the French Union for Oral Health.
“The roadmap can easily be used, all around the world, as a reference guide for global, national, or local actions on behalf of the elderly community,” Dartevelle said.
Oral disease is not an inevitable consequence of aging, FDI says, but can be reduced or prevented through simple and effective measures at all stages of life. FDI’s OHAP partnership seeks to strengthen the link between dental practitioners and healthy longevity.
By focusing on the importance of oral health in aging populations, FDI further says, the oral health community can play an essential role in ensuring that people age in a healthy and supported way. OHAP aims to ensure oral health challenges are addressed in broader health policies for aging populations.
OHAP also actively promotes research into oral health in aging populations and pursues opportunities for improved oral disease prevention and treatment for elderly patients. A conference dedicated to the subject is organized every two years.
Related Articles
Poor Oral Health Linked to Death by Pneumonia in the Elderly
Oral Care for the Elderly Called a “Major” Public Health Problem
New Policies Needed to Improve the Oral Health of Older Americans
