Economic Burden Associated with Management of Periodontitis in Malaysia

Objective: Periodontitis is a chronic condition that can incur high costs on patients and healthcare systems due to recurring need to seek treatment over long periods of time. Yet economic studies on periodontal diseases are not common. The aim of this study is to estimate the economic burden associated with the management of periodontitis in Malaysia from the societal perspective. Method: The economic burden of periodontitis was estimated by combining the prevalence of the disease with its treatment costs. Treatment costs were estimated using the standard cost-of-illness approach, and included (a) direct costs - those borne by the health system and patients in the treatment of periodontitis, and (b) indirect costs - loss in productivity attributable to time taken from work by patients and spent to obtain periodontal treatment. Prevalence estimates of periodontitis from the National Oral Health Survey for Adults in 2010 were used. The number of adult population at risk for periodontitis was estimated using the data from the 2010 National Census. Result: The economic burden of managing all cases of periodontitis at the national level from the societal perspective was approximately MYR 32.5 (USD 9.9) billion, accounting for 3.83% of the 2012 Gross Domestic Product of the country. The bulk of the burden is attributable to moderate periodontitis with a quantum of MYR 20.3 (USD 6.2) billion. Managing severe periodontitis patients alone would cost the nation about MYR 12.2 (USD  3.7) billion. Conclusion: This high economic burden of periodontitis is attributable to the high cost of periodontal treatment as well as the high prevalence of periodontal disease in the country. As such, judicious application of promotive, preventive and curative approaches to periodontitis management is decidedly warranted.