Regional disparities in the prevalence of probing depths and tooth loss in Germany--results from the German National Cohort (NAKO)

AIM: To evaluate regional disparities in the prevalence, severity and extent of probing depths (PDs) as well as tooth loss in German adults aged 19-74, using data from the baseline study of the German National Cohort (NAKO; 2014-2019).

METHODS: Dental examinations were recorded at two levels: Level 1 (18/18 centres; N = 184,871; tooth counts including third molars and dental interview) and Level 2 (8/18 centres, not geographically representative; N = 18,389; recording of PDs). We evaluated differences by sex, age and study region. All data were survey-weighted. For individuals aged 65-74, we supplemented tooth loss data from the Fifth German Oral Health Study and the Study of Health in Pomerania.

RESULTS: Among Level 1 participants, the prevalence of edentulism was 1.7% (95% confidence interval: 1.6-1.9). The average mean PD was 1.89 mm (1.87-1.91). Both edentulism and PDs increased with increasing age. There were clear regional disparities, with the lowest prevalence of both in Augsburg/Regensburg in the south (1.3% and 1.64 mm) and the highest in Neubrandenburg in the north-east (2.3% and 2.31 mm).

CONCLUSION: Clear regional disparities emerged. In light of demographic changes, these results highlight the importance of incorporating region-specific oral health burdens into future healthcare planning and treatment concepts.