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Oral Health
Problems: Painful, Costly, and Preventable
Mouth and throat diseases—ranging from cavities to cancer—cause pain and disability for millions of Americans. This fact is disturbing because almost all oral diseases can be prevented.
For children, cavities are a common problem that begins at an early age. Tooth decay affects nearly a fifth of 2–4-year-olds, more than half of 8-year-olds, and more than three-fourths of 17-year-olds. Hardest hit are low-income children. About half of all cavities among low-income children go untreated. Untreated cavities may cause pain, dysfunction, absence from school, underweight, and poor appearance—problems that can greatly reduce a child’s capacity to succeed in life.
Tooth decay is also a problem for adults, especially for the increasing number of older adults who have retained most of their teeth. Despite this increase in tooth retention, tooth loss remains a problem among older adults. Almost 3 of every 10 adults over age 65 have lost all of their teeth, primarily because of tooth decay and gum disease, which affects about 25% of U.S. adults. Tooth loss has more than cosmetic effects—it may contribute to nutrition problems by limiting the types of food that a person can eat.
Oral cancers also pose a threat to the health of American adults. Each year, about 30,000 Americans learn they have mouth and throat cancers, and nearly 8,000 Americans die of these diseases.
In 2003, Americans made about 500 million visits to dentists, and an estimated $74 billion was spent on dental services. Yet many children and adults still go without measures that have been proven effective in preventing oral diseases and reducing costs. For example, more than 100 million Americans still do not have access to water that contains enough fluoride to protect their teeth, even though the per capita cost of water fluoridation over a person’s lifetime is less than the cost of one dental filling.
Adult Oral Health
The hectic pace of today's adult lifestyle often leaves little time for the daily oral health care routine needed to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. This is unfortunate since periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. An estimated 75% of Americans reportedly have some form of periodontal disease.
Early detection of periodontal disease reduces the risk of permanent damage to teeth and gums and can prevent more extensive and costly treatment in later years. Regular professional visits, every six months or as scheduled by your dental hygienist, will help you learn more about proper care for your teeth and gums. Regular professional visits are important because gingivitis, the early stage of periodontal disease, is usually painless; you may not be able to detect it on your own.
Oral Health Nutrition
At any age, a complete oral health home program includes sound nutritional habits. Many of the foods that help your body build strong muscles and bones also help build strong, healthy teeth and gums.
Dairy products provide calcium and vitamin D for strengthening teeth and bones. Breads and cereals supply B vitamins for growth and iron for healthy blood, which in turn contributes to healthy gum tissue. Fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C (among other important vitamins) are essential to maintaining healthy gums.
Lean meat, fish, poultry and beans provide iron and protein for overall good health, and magnesium and zinc for teeth and bones.
And if you are among the million Americans who smoke, your dental hygienist will educate you about the hazards of tobacco and work with you to establish a smoking cessation program.
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