New EFP–EAPD consensus supports age-specific periodontal assessment and management for children and adolescents

Introduction / background

A joint consensus report from the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) updates evidence on periodontal conditions in children and adolescents and calls for diagnostic and management approaches that reflect developmental differences rather than routine application of adult frameworks. The article, titled “Gingival and periodontal diseases and conditions in children and adolescents: Consensus report”, was published online on 15 April 2026 in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

What was performed

The consensus was produced following a workshop held in Madrid in March last year, at which 30 experts reviewed evidence from three commissioned systematic reviews. Workshop participants examined the epidemiology, aetiology, risk factors, diagnostic challenges and management options for periodontal presentations in younger patients, and assessed whether the 2018 classification of periodontal diseases and EFP adult clinical practice guidelines are appropriate for children and adolescents. The workshop organised its deliberations into three clinically relevant categories: (1) gingival and periodontal diseases and conditions in children and adolescents with systemic diseases and conditions; (2) gingival diseases and conditions in systemically healthy children and adolescents; and (3) periodontal diseases and conditions in systemically healthy children and adolescents.

Key findings

• The report emphasises that periodontal care in children and adolescents should not be directly extrapolated from adult practice. Growth, tooth eruption and exfoliation, and the presence of mixed dentition complicate probing and the interpretation of attachment loss.
• Systemic and developmental factors that are uncommon in adults may modify periodontal risk profiles in younger patients, requiring age-appropriate evaluation.
• The consensus highlights a high prevalence of gingivitis in younger populations, the potential severity of necrotising periodontal diseases in this age group, and reported associations between periodontal conditions and systemic comorbidities.
• On this basis, the authors provide age-specific guidance for screening, diagnosis and management, and they recommend closer monitoring of periodontal health in children and adolescents compared with standard adult schedules.

Relevance for dental practice

For clinicians, the report underscores the need to adapt periodontal assessment and follow-up to the developmental stage and dentition of the patient. Practical implications include careful interpretation of probing and attachment measurements during mixed dentition, heightened vigilance for necrotising conditions in appropriate clinical contexts, and consideration of systemic or developmental contributors to periodontal risk. The consensus intends to inform paediatric and general dental teams about when adult-based classifications and guidelines may be inappropriate and where age-specific strategies are preferable.

Limitations and context

The consensus was derived from expert review and discussion of three commissioned systematic reviews and represents the authors’ synthesis of that evidence. The project was explicitly prompted by concerns that the 2018 classification and EFP adult clinical practice guidance were developed largely for adults; the workshop’s remit was to determine applicability to children and adolescents. Readers should consult the full consensus report in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology for comprehensive detail and the specific age-stratified recommendations.

SOURCE

https://www.dental-tribune.com/news/efp-eapd-consensus-clarifies-periodontal-care-for-children-and-adolescents/