Economic impacts of the oral biofilm

Abstract

The prevalence of oral biofilm-associated diseases has remained relatively high in most parts of the world despite considerable efforts to prevent these diseases. In developed countries, national expenditures for the management of oral biofilm-associated diseases are in the range of those for heart diseases, trauma-related disorders, cancer, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions making oral biofilm-related diseases one of the costliest medical conditions overall. Who pays for oral healthcare may differ significantly between countries and to varying degrees includes patients, insurers, and governments. In order to relate the outcomes of interventions to their costs, economic evaluations can provide a measure of healthcare efficiency and help patients, providers, insurer, Government and other policymakers to prioritize services and allocate finite resources.