Dental caries disease poses a significant challenge to global public health, particularly in the Latin American and the Caribbean Countries (LACC). Despite the significant progress in understanding as a preventable non-communicable disease, 11.Pitts NB, Twetman S, Fisher J, Marsh PD. Understanding dental caries as a non-communicable disease. Br Dent J. 2021 Dec;231(12):749-753. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3775-4.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3775-...
the high prevalence of untreated caries in these regions remains a cause for concern 22.World Health Organization. Global oral health status report: towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022. , 33.Bernabe E, Marcenes W, Hernandez CR, Bailey J, Abreu LG, Alipour V, et al. Global, regional, and national levels and trends in burden of oral conditions from 1990 to 2017: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease 2017 study. J Dent Res. 2020;99(4):362-373. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520908533
https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520908533...
that reflects the social and economic inequalities and inadequate funding for prevention and treatment these countries face. 44.Peres MA, Macpherson LMD, Weyant RJ, Daly B, Venturelli R, Mathur MR, et al. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. Lancet. 2019 Jul 20;394(10194):249-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31146-8.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31...
The situation in the region is aggravated by the high sugar consumption reported in LACC. 55.Sampaio FC, Bönecker M, Paiva SM, Martignon S, Ricomini Filho AP, Pozos-Guillen A, et al. Dental caries prevalence, prospects, and challenges for Latin America and Caribbean countries: a summary and final recommendations from a Regional Consensus. Braz Oral Res. 2021;35(suppl 1):e056. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-2021.vol35.0056
https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-202...
According to reports from dentistry opinion leaders on regulating sugar consumption in LACC, there were some public policies that regulated the sale of processed and ultra-processed foods, sometimes supported by guidelines. However, the participants reported a low level of knowledge about the per capita consumption of sugar among the countries. Additionally, the creation of protocols and regulations concerning fluoride use are key factors in the fight against dental caries. While some countries in the region have adopted fluoride use policies, their adoption continues to be challenging. Hence, incorporating oral health into the global agenda is a pivotal step in combatting this disease. Institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Dental Federation (FDI) have proposed concrete measures to ensure universal health coverage in oral health by 2030. Likewise, entities such as the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) and the Latin American Oral Health Association (LAOHA) are actively collaborating in this direction.
Another crucial aspect is the appropriate education and clinical practice on cariology for the translation of knowledge and understanding of dental caries to key stakeholders. This should lead to the appropriate formulation of public policies positively impacting the population. In recent years, there has been a marked global transition in cariology education, moving from a predominantly restorative focus to an emphasis on prevention and oral health promotion. From this new perspective, dental caries is viewed as a controllable disease through patient-centered management, risk-based approaches, and a focus on long-term oral health throughout all life cycles. Notably, the European Core Curriculum in Cariology has served as an inspiration in this change, inspiring LACC countries to adapt similar structures.
Now the primary goal is to establish a basic curricular framework in cariology for Spanish-speaking and for Portuguese-speaking (Brazilian) dental schools in Latin America. This should address not only dental caries education but also encourage discussions so that professionals can contribute to the development of policies on fluoride use and sugar consumption. In summary, respecting the differences and priorities of each country, there is a need for the implementation of policies across the region, promoting research collaboration. Indeed, knowledge exchange among countries is essential for achieving progress in this area and effectively addressing dental caries.
Aware of the aforementioned, since 2020, the Latin American Oral Health Association (LAOHA) has driven various initiatives to improve the dental caries situation in LACC. A significant example is the inclusion of three actions being promoted with the participation of experts in various areas of cariology throughout the region. This publication is a result of the work done by LAOHA by means of these three initiatives. Action 1, policies for the use of fluoride and reduction of sugar consumption in Latin American and the Caribbean countries; 66.Paiva SM, Prado IM, Perazzo MF, Guarnizo-Herreño CC, Acevedo AM, Castillo JL, et al. Situational diagnosis of policies in Latin American and Caribbean countries for the use of fluoride and reduction of sugar consumption. Braz Oral Res. 2023;37(suppl):e121. Action 2, the development and consensus of a cariology core curriculum framework for dental schools for Spanish-speaking Latin American countries; 77.Martignon S, Cortes A, Avila V, Velasco K, AbreuPlaceres N, Aranguiz V, et al. Core cariology curriculum framework in Spanish for Latin American dental schools: development and consensus. Braz Oral Res. 2023;37(suppl):e119. and Action 3, includes this consensus for dental schools in Brazil. 88.Sampaio FC, Bönecker M, Paiva SM, Arthur RA, Cohen-Carneiro F, Ditterich R, et al. Consensus for teaching dental caries in the Portuguese Language at Brazilian dental schools. Braz Oral Res. 2023;37(suppl):e120. These initiatives have been shaped by different teams and work groups, in which regional experts and various associations and organizations actively participated to achieve the proposed goals.
Each of these initiatives described has been explored in different articles presented in this edition. Furthermore, these actions are annually highlighted in the “Call for Action’’, an event prepared by LAOHA during the World Cavity-Free Future Day in October. Furthermore, results have been shared at conferences and events such as the meeting of the Organization of Faculties and Schools of Dentistry (OFEDO-UDUAL) in Punta Cana in 2022; the European Organisation for Caries Research (ORCA) in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands; and at the combined General Session of the International Association for Dental Research and Latin American IADR Region Session (IADR/IADR-LAR) in Bogotá, Colombia, both in 2023. Specifically, during this IADR/LAR meeting in Bogotá, these actions were presented within the symposium titled: Consensus on Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease in Latin America: Combined Strategies. This event featured prominent cariology and periodontology experts from the region, making it significantly relevant in showcasing the actions being pursued at the regional level.
In conclusion, the ongoing effort to reduce dental caries in the region, in collaboration with various institutions and organizations illustrated in Table , aligns with LAOHA’s mission and goals for the benefit of Latin America and the Caribbean. Undoubtedly, this work lays the foundation for future initiatives, not only focused on reducing dental caries but also on developing public policies and optimizing education on this condition in LACC.
References
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1Pitts NB, Twetman S, Fisher J, Marsh PD. Understanding dental caries as a non-communicable disease. Br Dent J. 2021 Dec;231(12):749-753. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3775-4
» https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3775-4 -
2World Health Organization. Global oral health status report: towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022.
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3Bernabe E, Marcenes W, Hernandez CR, Bailey J, Abreu LG, Alipour V, et al. Global, regional, and national levels and trends in burden of oral conditions from 1990 to 2017: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease 2017 study. J Dent Res. 2020;99(4):362-373. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520908533
» https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520908533 -
4Peres MA, Macpherson LMD, Weyant RJ, Daly B, Venturelli R, Mathur MR, et al. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. Lancet. 2019 Jul 20;394(10194):249-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31146-8
» https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31146-8 -
5Sampaio FC, Bönecker M, Paiva SM, Martignon S, Ricomini Filho AP, Pozos-Guillen A, et al. Dental caries prevalence, prospects, and challenges for Latin America and Caribbean countries: a summary and final recommendations from a Regional Consensus. Braz Oral Res. 2021;35(suppl 1):e056. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-2021.vol35.0056
» https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-2021.vol35.0056 -
6Paiva SM, Prado IM, Perazzo MF, Guarnizo-Herreño CC, Acevedo AM, Castillo JL, et al. Situational diagnosis of policies in Latin American and Caribbean countries for the use of fluoride and reduction of sugar consumption. Braz Oral Res. 2023;37(suppl):e121.
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7Martignon S, Cortes A, Avila V, Velasco K, AbreuPlaceres N, Aranguiz V, et al. Core cariology curriculum framework in Spanish for Latin American dental schools: development and consensus. Braz Oral Res. 2023;37(suppl):e119.
-
8Sampaio FC, Bönecker M, Paiva SM, Arthur RA, Cohen-Carneiro F, Ditterich R, et al. Consensus for teaching dental caries in the Portuguese Language at Brazilian dental schools. Braz Oral Res. 2023;37(suppl):e120.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
01 Dec 2023 -
Date of issue
2023
