Caries and periodontal disease

It is an invitation only, annual event chaired by Mariano Sanz and attended by the most advanced perio and caries related scientists in the world.

Caries and periodontitis are among the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide so the main focus of the workshop is to review available evidence and build a new scientific consensus on the interaction between periodontal diseases and caries. This includes consideration of associated causes, shared risk factors and common ways of prevention.

There are four working groups. Group 1 focuses on the role of microbial biofilms in the maintenance of oral health and the development of dental caries and periodontal diseases. This group is chaired by Mariano Sanz from the EFP and David Beighton from ORCA.

Working Group 2 considers how lifestyle, behaviour or systemic diseases relate to oral health, dental caries and periodontal diseases. Its co-chairs are Iain Chapple (EFP) and Andreas Schulte (ORCA).

The topic to be considered by Working Group 3 is the prevention and control of dental caries and periodontal diseases at individual and population level. Søren Jepsen (EFP) and Vita Machiulskiene (ORCA) are co-chairs.

Finally, Working Group 4, co-chaired by Maurizio Tonetti, editor of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (EFP), and Sebastian Paris (ORCA), will examine age related effects on oral health, dental caries and periodontal diseases.

The conclusions will be published in a special, open access supplement of the EFP’s Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

The EFP welcomes this opportunity to work closely with an organisation from a related area of oral health in developing a scientific consensus that will benefit the lives of many patients, as caries and periodontitis are among the most prevalent, chronic diseases of humankind.

Mariano Sanz, said: “Caries and periodontal diseases have always been considered as very separate entities, but recent evidence clearly points to several factors shared by both, which may have important implications in the prevention and management of these conditions. This workshop serves to identify these similarities and helps us to recommend clear preventive measures at both individual and population level.”

Andreas Schulte, past president of ORCA, added: “This workshop is also a great opportunity for scientists from cariology and periodontology to work together to generate new ideas for valuable research.”

The Perio Workshop 2016, sponsored by Colgate, takes place from November 6 to 9, 2016, in La Granja, Spain.