Estimation of Treatment Cost of Dental Caries, Periodontal Disease and Tooth Loss in Thai People

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the cost burden of dental diseases among Thai people using the cost of illness concept. Prevalence of oral illnesses was estimated from the 8^th National Oral Health Survey in 2017. This study assessed only direct costs for treating dental caries, periodontal diseases, and tooth loss to the entire population. The study’s results showed that 45.0 percent of Thai citizens had dental caries, 74.5 percent had gingivitis, 15.7 percent had periodontitis, and 31.4 percent required dentures. A total of 156,925.1 million baht, or 1% of GDP, would be required if all essential treatments were provided. There were 28.7 million individuals who needed dental caries treatments, 47.6 million gingivitis treatments, 10.0 million periodontitis treatments, and 20.1 million who required removable dentures for dental losses. Dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth loss accounted for 32.9%, 15.3%, 10.9%, and 40.8% of the total costs, respectively. Oral diseases were 36.8, 22.5, 6.5, and 4.4 times more expensive to treatment than diabetes, respiratory conditions, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders, respectively. In summary, the cost of treating these oral diseases was high. Therefore, self-managed technology to prevent dental caries and periodontal diseases to reduce tooth loss and measures to mitigate commercial determinants of oral disease across the population would lower overall treatment costs.