Oral Health Statistics: India and Global Data
The World Health Organization's latest estimates for tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss and oral cancer, with India's country figures and the dental workforce behind them.
Last updated 6 October 2026Reviewed by The Aesthetic Edge medical team
Key statistics
Oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people worldwide.[1]
Untreated tooth decay affects an estimated 2.5 billion people.[2]
In India, 43.3% of children aged 1–9 have untreated decay in their milk teeth.[3]
28.8% of people in India aged 5 and over have untreated decay in their permanent teeth.[3]
21.8% of people in India aged 15 and over have severe gum disease.[3]
Almost 7% of adults worldwide have lost all their teeth, rising to 23% of people aged 60 and over.[1]
India had 271,744 dentists in 2019, or 2.0 for every 10,000 people.[3]
More than 22 million people have been treated with Invisalign clear aligners.[4]
How many people in the world have oral disease?
The World Health Organization estimates that oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people, and that untreated tooth decay in permanent teeth is the most common health condition in the world.[1]
WHO's 2022 Global Oral Health Status Report, based on earlier data, gave 3.5 billion people (45% of the world's population), said 3 in every 4 of them live in low- and middle-income countries, and found that cases had risen by 1 billion over 30 years.[2]
| Measure | WHO estimate | Published |
|---|---|---|
| People with oral diseases | Nearly 3.7 billion | 2025 |
| People with oral diseases (earlier estimate) | 3.5 billion (45% of the world) | 2022 |
| Affected people living in low- and middle-income countries | 3 in every 4 | 2022 |
| Increase in oral disease cases over 30 years | 1 billion | 2022 |
| People with untreated tooth decay | 2.5 billion | 2022 |
| Severe gum disease | More than 1 billion cases | 2025 |
| Adults aged 20+ who have lost all their teeth | Almost 7% | 2025 |
| People aged 60+ who have lost all their teeth | 23% | 2025 |
| New cases of lip and oral cavity cancer, 2022 | 389,846 | 2025 |
| Deaths from lip and oral cavity cancer, 2022 | 188,438 | 2025 |
How common is tooth decay in India?
WHO estimates that 43.3% of children in India aged 1–9 have untreated decay in their milk teeth, and 28.8% of people aged 5 and over have untreated decay in their permanent teeth.[3]
| Condition | Age group | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| Untreated decay, milk teeth | 1–9 | 43.3% |
| Untreated decay, permanent teeth | 5+ | 28.8% |
| Severe gum disease | 15+ | 21.8% |
| Lost all natural teeth | 20+ | 4.0% |
WHO's modelled estimates for 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease study.
How common is oral cancer in India?
India had an estimated 135,929 new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in 2020, 104,661 in men and 31,268 in women.[3]
Worldwide, WHO reports an estimated 389,846 new cases and 188,438 deaths from lip and oral cavity cancer in 2022.[1]
| Measure | Women | Men | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New cases | 31,268 | 104,661 | 135,929 |
| New cases per 100,000 people (age-standardised) | 4.6 | 14.8 | 9.8 |
WHO's India profile takes these from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's GLOBOCAN 2020 estimates.
How many dentists are there in India?
India had 271,744 dentists in 2019, or 2.0 per 10,000 people, according to WHO.[3]
| Role | Number | Per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists | 271,744 | 2.0 |
| Dental assistants and therapists | 3,515 | 0.0 |
| Dental prosthetic technicians | 3,090 | 0.0 |
Per-person rates as printed by WHO.
How much does India spend on dental care?
WHO estimates India spent US$64 million on outpatient dental care in 2019, or US$0.05 per person.[3]
WHO also estimates that five untreated oral diseases cost India US$7,249 million in lost productivity that year.[3]
| Measure | WHO estimate |
|---|---|
| Total spending on outpatient dental care | US$64 million |
| Spending per person | US$0.05 |
| Productivity lost to five untreated oral diseases | US$7,249 million |
How many people have had clear aligner treatment?
Align Technology reported more than 22 million Invisalign patients worldwide in 2025, including more than 6.5 million teens and children.[4]
It shipped a record 2.6 million clear aligner cases in 2025 and had more than 295 thousand active Invisalign-trained doctors. Its results release gives no figure for India.[4]
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Invisalign patients, cumulative | Over 22 million |
| Of whom teens and growing kids | Over 6.5 million |
| Clear aligner cases shipped in 2025 | 2.6 million |
| Active Invisalign-trained doctors | Over 295 thousand |
| Clear aligners manufactured, cumulative | Over 2.4 billion |
How reliable are these numbers?
WHO's prevalence figures are modelled estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study rather than survey results, and the India figures describe 2019.[3]
The India country profile uses the study's 2019 estimates, and the 2025 fact sheet cites its 2021 edition. WHO's two global totals, 3.5 billion in 2022 and nearly 3.7 billion in 2025, come from different editions, so quote each figure with the year of the source it came from.[1][3]
How do I cite or reuse this data?
Cite this page, and the original source of any figure you quote. The numbered sources below link to each one.
The Aesthetic Edge. “Oral Health Statistics: India and Global Data.” Last updated 6 October 2026. https://theaestheticedge.in/oral-health-statistics/
The charts and text on this page are licensed under CC BY 4.0: you may republish them, including commercially, if you credit The Aesthetic Edge and link to this page. The credit line is built into every chart image. The figures themselves belong to the publishers listed under Sources, and their own terms apply, so credit them too.
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Sources
- World Health Organization. Oral health — fact sheet. Published 17 March 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health (accessed 6 October 2026).
- World Health Organization. WHO highlights oral health neglect affecting nearly half of the world's population (news release on the Global Oral Health Status Report, 18 November 2022). Published 18 November 2022. https://www.who.int/news/item/18-11-2022-who-highlights-oral-health-neglect-affecting-nearly-half-of-the-world-s-population (accessed 6 October 2026).
- World Health Organization. Oral Health Country Profile: India (WHO/UCN/NCD/MND/IND/2022.1). Published 2022. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/oral-health/oral-health-ind-2022-country-profile.pdf (accessed 6 October 2026).
- Align Technology, Inc.. Align Technology Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2025 Financial Results (press release filed with the SEC on Form 8-K, 4 February 2026). Published 4 February 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1097149/000109714926000006/algn-q425earningspressrele.htm (accessed 6 October 2026).
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