School of Dentistry seminar series: Thinking critically about ageing and oral health - Professor Murray Thomson

Research into the oral health of older people has burgeoned over the last couple of decades, spurred by increases in both tooth retention and the older population. Any consideration of oral health and ageing should acknowledge the fact that the chronic conditions of old age do not suddenly manifest themselves; rather, they have involved decades of subclinical organ system decline associated with biological ageing. Thus, the pace at which someone ages is a critical determinant of their health in old age. In this presentation, I will share some findings from NZ on the pace of ageing and on the oral health of older people, underlining the need for caution in interpreting associations observed in old age between aspects of oral and general health (most notably cognitive decline). 

Professor Murray Thomson is a very experienced researcher in dental epidemiology and health services who has made important and sustained contributions to knowledge in a number of fields over the last three decades. His work in the renowned Dunedin Study has enhanced understanding or oral health through life. He has also made important contributions to understanding of the oral health of the ageing population, and of the effectiveness of dental care in improving the lives of children and their families. He has developed widely used xerostomia measures for use in clinical practice and research. Currently Editor-in-Chief for Gerodontology, he has provided many years of service as an Editor-in-Chief for international scientific journals. 

View the seminar on YouTube.