Global Periodontal Health Project

Gum health is often overlooked during daily oral health routines. Periodontal (gum) diseases including gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (inflammation of the tissue around the teeth, often causing shrinkage of the gums and loosening of the teeth), are among humanity’s most common diseases. Periodontal health is essential to general health and key to securing quality of life and well-being at every stage of life.

‘Severe periodontal diseases are estimated to affect around 19% of the global adult population, representing more than 1 billion cases worldwide.

When left untreated, periodontal disease can cause tooth loss (partial to complete edentulism) and is closely associated with other diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, with which it shares common risk factors, e.g. unhealthy diet and tobacco use.

Periodontal disease has a significant socio-economic impact on governments and populations worldwide, yet it remains a low priority and treatment is still unavailable in many countries.

The road to achieving periodontal health

The Global Periodontal Health Project (GPHP) was launched in October 2015 to reduce the burden of periodontal disease by raising awareness of its impact and engaging the public, oral health and other health professionals, educators, and policymakers in promoting periodontal health.

Project goals

Goal 1

Increase global awareness of periodontal health

Goal 2

Provide tools and resources to help reduce the disease burden and raise the priority of periodontal health at the national level

Goal 3

Integrate oral/periodontal health into policies addressing general health and NCDs by taking a common risk factor approach

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Arcade

Whole Mouth Health Arcade

Take a fun journey into the mouth!

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GPHP

Online Disease Profile Assessment Tool

This new online tool helps assess a patient's risk for periodontal disease and categorize the patient's periodontal disease profile as either low, medium or high.

Watch the tutorial

Symposium

In 2018, the GPHP experts hosted a symposium entitled 'Proactive prevention and effective periodontal care: Major challenges, scientific updates and key issues for success' at the 2018 FDI WDC. Main topics included global periodontal health challenges and related socio-economic impact; the new classification of periodontal and peri-implant disease; effective management of periodontal disease, as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment; and periodontal care challenges, recommendations, solutions, and future perspectives.

Global Periodontal Health Project Task Team

The Global Periodontal Health Project Task Team provides guidance and scientific expertise to ensure sound implementation of the Global Periodontal Health Project, which aims to reduce and prevent periodontal (gum) disease worldwide.

Member
Sep 2022 - Jan 2024
Prof. Philippe Bouchard
France
Member
Sep 2022 - Jan 2024
Prof. Sašo Ivanovski
Australia

The Global periodontal health project is supported by :

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ContinuingTheCare

Crest+ Oral B

Resources

  • Global periodontal health_Challenges, priorities and perspectives_proceedings
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    Global periodontal health: Challenges, priorities and perspectives
    Proceedings

    Periodontitis is closely linked with general health and major NCDs, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. Even though it is one of the most common diseases worldwide, it seldom receives the attention it deserves. This consideration has led FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) to launch the GPHP to tackle the burden of periodontal diseases.

  • Periodontal diseases chairside guide_Prevention and patient management_chairside guide
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    Periodontal diseases chairside guide: Prevention and patient management
    Chairside guide

    This chairside guide helps oral health professionals to assess the risk of periodontal disease for their patients by categorizing the patient’s risk profile as either low, medium or high.

  • Proactive prevention and effective periodontal care proceedings_porceedings
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    Proactive prevention and effective periodontal care proceedings: Proceedings of the 2018 Global Periodontal Health Project Symposium
    Proceedings

    These proceedings report on the Global Periodontal Health Project symposium held at the FDI World Dental Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 6 September 2018.

  • Global Periodontal Health Project 2019 NDA_survey
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    Global Periodontal Health Project 2019 NDA survey
    Survey

    In 2019, 69 NDAs from 67 different countries across Africa, America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe responded to the survey, compared to 61 NDAs from 59 countries in 2017.

  • 2017_Key learnings
    Key learnings from the GPHP survey on periodontal health
  • White paper on prevention and management of periodontal diseases for oral health and general health_white paper
    White paper on prevention and management of periodontal diseases for oral health and general health
    White paper

    This white paper provides oral health professionals with a comprehensive yet succinct summary of the main issues related to the global prevalence and impacts, aetiology and pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. 

  • Periodontal health and disease_A practical guide to reduce the global burden of periodontal disease_toolkit
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    Periodontal health and disease: A practical guide to reduce the global burden of periodontal disease
    Toolkit

    This toolkit provides background information in a language which you can use with policymakers; a series of key messages; and practical guidance to assist you in designing and implementing successful advocacy campaigns which promote better periodontal health.

  • FDI Global Periodontal Health Project_survey
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    FDI Global Periodontal Health Project 2017 NDA survey
    Survey

    FDI conducted a survey among its 150 members on periodontal health and found that, from the 61 National Dental Associations (NDAs) who took part, only 40% have a national monitoring and evaluation plan of periodontal disease.

  • Key learnings from the GPHP follow-up survey on periodontal health_infographics
    Periodontal (Gum) disease
    Key learnings from the GPHP follow-up survey on periodontal health

    Conducted between February and May 2019, the survey asked FDI National Dental Associations the same 19 questions developed in 2017 on periodontal health relating to: national health policies; health information systems; education and workforces; and national prevention and promotion efforts by NDAs.

  • FDI GPHP Project - Educational Slides Deck FINAL.pdf
    FDI GPHP Project - Educational Slides Deck