A simulation study published in BMC Public Health finds that the economic burden of dental caries falls disproportionately on the most deprived populations, with per-person lifetime costs reaching approximately £18,000 in the UK, the highest of the six countries studied. The research, commissioned by the European Federation of Periodontology and led by researchers at the University of Birmingham, modelled caries-related healthcare costs from adolescence to middle age in the UK, Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, and Italy, using national data on decayed, missing, and filled teeth across socioeconomic groups.

The findings show that people in the most deprived groups accumulate more caries earlier in life, resulting in higher intervention rates and costs over time. Uniform application of preventive measures, including community water fluoridation, sugar tax policies, school education programmes, and individual fluoride use, is estimated to reduce caries progression by 30% across the population. A targeted approach concentrating resources on the most deprived groups could reduce per-person costs by approximately £14,000 in the UK. The authors argue that prevention-focused strategies aligned with the WHO Resolution on oral health offer a more cost-effective path than treatment-based care.