European Dental Organizations Push for Integration in Oral and Systemic Health

Experts highlight periodontal care, daily plaque removal, and shared risk factors for chronic diseases.

By
News Staff
October 12, 2026

Inside Dental Hygiene

Overview

A European multidisciplinary consensus calls for closer collaboration among dental, medical, and public health professionals and for oral health to be incorporated into prevention and broader health care strategies. It identifies diabetes as the area with the clearest evidence linking periodontal treatment to systemic health, while recommending established oral hygiene and risk-reduction measures.

Background

Oral diseases affect approximately 3.5 billion people worldwide and share risk factors with other noncommunicable diseases, including added sugar, tobacco, harmful alcohol use, and unequal access to care and nutritious food. The European Federation of Periodontology and the European Association of Dental Public Health convened specialists across clinical and public health disciplines to develop recommendations for integrating oral health into wider health care strategies. The consensus focuses on periodontal disease and systemic health, particularly diabetes. Related policy efforts include calls to incorporate oral health indicators into electronic health records and to connect dental and medical care.

Data Highlights

Measure or finding	Reported information
Global burden of oral disease	Approximately 3.5 billion people worldwide
Consensus presentation	September 3, 2026, in Lisbon, Portugal
Recommended daily oral hygiene	Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and clean between teeth daily
Systemic health evidence highlighted	The consensus identifies diabetes as the area with the clearest evidence; treating gum disease helps patients control blood sugar, according to the lead author

Key Findings

The working group called for increased collaboration among dental, medical, and public health professionals and greater integration of oral health into prevention strategies.
The consensus identified shared risk factors for oral diseases and other noncommunicable diseases, including added sugar consumption, tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, and disparities in access to care and nutritious food.
Professor Moritz Kebschull said the evidence linking periodontal treatment with systemic health is clearest for diabetes, where treating gum disease helps patients control blood sugar.
Recommended preventive measures included twice-daily toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste, daily interdental cleaning, reducing added sugar, avoiding tobacco and harmful alcohol, and scheduling dental visits according to individual risk and clinical needs.
The consensus cited systematic reviews reporting reduced plaque accumulation and improved gingival health with oscillating-rotating powered toothbrushes, and identified stannous fluoride toothpaste as an evidence-supported adjunct to mechanical plaque removal.
A related FDI consensus called for oral health indicators to be included in electronic health records; the ADA and other stakeholders contributed to that statement, according to the related article.

Clinical Implications

The consensus recommends strengthening oral health education across health professions and incorporating oral health into routine care when appropriate. It also advises tailoring dental visit schedules to individual risk and clinical needs and identifies daily plaque control and reduction of shared risk factors as preventive measures.

Conclusion

The European consensus frames oral health as part of broader prevention and health care planning and calls for coordinated action across professional disciplines. It highlights periodontal care in diabetes while also emphasizing practical oral hygiene and risk-reduction measures.