From baby teeth to false teeth: Dentists should be part of an integrated care team throughout a patient’s life. Ageing societies, multi-morbidities, changing diets – these and many more factors are reasons why it is important to include dentists from the start, both in prevention and treatment. Young children suffering from early caries show a much higher risk later on for illnesses like diabetes or cardiovascular diseases while elderly patients’ oral health rapidly decreases once they enter nursing home facilities.

This and more was discussed with policymakers, health professionals, academics and representatives of healthcare organisations at the CED event “Integrated Care – Don’t forget about the Mouth” at the European Parliament on 29 November, 2017.

Co-host MEP Nessa Childers stressed the role of appropriate nutrition labelling of food and, where relevant of medicines, in order to reduce sugar intake.

Co-host and Chairwoman of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee MEP Adina-Ioana Valean underlined that it is important to raise awareness about integrated care at the EU and especially at the national level since healthcare is predominantly a Member State competence.

CED President Dr Landi stressed that “we must be forward thinking and acknowledge the urgency of this topic. We cannot wait until we have an oral health crisis but need to act today, when we can make a difference to patients’ health, by supporting prevention and providing appropriate and timely treatment, especially for vulnerable populations.”

In 2018, the CED Working Group Oral Health will focus on oral health inequalities and the CED looks forward to continuing the discussions on integrated care, health systems and reducing health inequalities.