The improving dental health of United Kingdom adults and prospects for the future.

The 1988 UK survey shows steady and substantial improvements in adult dental health compared with the previous national surveys. The proportion of adults with some natural teeth rose from 70% in 1978 to 79% in 1988 and is expected to reach 90% by the year 2008. Also, by that time more than 90% of the working age population should be substantially dentate with 21 or more standing teeth on average. Between 1968 and 1988 the pool of sound untreated teeth in England and Wales increased by 65%. At the same time, the number decayed fell by 36% despite an 11% population growth which resulted from increasing numbers of older people. The most dramatic improvements were recorded in young adults. The position for older adults reflected the patterns of disease and treatment experienced in earlier times. Northern Ireland, Scotland and the north of England remained the parts of the country with the poorest dental health. The survey has important implications for the practice of dentistry.