Is it time to reassess the public health implications of periodontal diseases? A review of current concepts.

In 1981 the American Association of Public Health Dentists' Subcommittee on Preventive called for a national initiative toward controlling periodontal disease, including the development of national policy statements from national dental organizations and the development of education programs for the public and the profession. Since the 1981 report, the findings of a diverse group of studies raises a variety of questions about the prevalence of periodontal diseases, the etiology and progression of the diseases, and the feasibility and practicality of controlling them. An examination of this new information leads to the conclusion that it is time to reassess the public health implications of periodontal diseases.