General News

Japan to Subsidize Gum Disease Screenings at Companies, Aiming for Early Detection

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Tokyo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:10 JST, November 10, 2025

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans to provide financial support to companies that conduct periodontal disease screenings during workplace health checkups in fiscal 2026. The initiative aims to help working-age individuals, who are at a higher risk of developing periodontal disease, detect it early through workplace health checkups.

Periodontal disease is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that trigger inflammation, causing the gums to become swollen and bleed. As the disease progresses, the bone supporting the teeth dissolves. The disease not only causes loss of teeth, but also increases the risk of worsening diabetes and developing myocardial infarction, stroke and other diseases.

According to a survey by the ministry, the percentage of people with periodontal disease increases with age, affecting 25.8% of those aged 25 to 34, 28% of those aged 35 to 44, and 43% of those aged 45 to 54. However, some people with the disease do not see dentists or receive treatment, which is a cause for concern.

To address the situation, the ministry plans to partially subsidize the costs of hiring examiners and analyzing test results for companies that conduct a saliva test to screen for periodontal disease in addition to the usual workplace health checkups.

Periodontal disease screening tests include dabbing an employee’s saliva onto a special sheet and examining the blood components contained in it. Employees who are found to have a high probability of having the disease will be encouraged by the company to see a dentist.

In June, the government included a policy of promoting specific measures toward “universal dental checkups” in its “Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform.” This policy aims to ensure that all citizens receive dental checkups throughout their lives. As part of this policy, the ministry earmarked ¥180 million in its fiscal 2026 budget request to promote saliva testing in workplaces and other measures.