The Staggering Global Economic Burden of Caries: $245 Billion and Rising

The global economic cost of dental diseases is a staggering $544 billion, with $357 billion attributed to direct treatment costs and a further $187 billion lost due to decreased productivity. Alarmingly, caries accounts for a significant portion of this burden. Assuming 45% of the overall cost can be attributed to caries, this equates to a global economic burden of $245 billion. This figure encompasses an estimated $161 billion in direct treatment costs for caries and a further $84 billion in indirect productivity losses.