[Insight into the prevalence of periodontitis: a challenge!]

Current data on the prevalence of periodontitis is scarce. Moreover, in epidemiological research periodontitis is measured in different ways. However, for effective prevention and evaluation of curation, it is of great importance to have reliable prevalence figures on periodontitis, because serious periodontal infections show a strong correlation with several common diseases. In the case of the Netherlands, this means more effort to monitor the prevalence of periodontitis. This could, in any case, be carried out from dental practices, albeit that it would then be necessary to do so in a structured manner. This may not provide a full picture, but it will provide insight into the state of oral health and the outcomes of care for the vast majority of the population that visits a dental practice yearly.