The Burden of Oral Disease

The CDC issued a great article on oral health that we wanted to highlight on our blog.  There are some health issues that come to us due to no fault of own, however oral diseases are almost always caused by the lack of proper care.

Oral health is often taken for granted, but it is an essential part of our everyday lives. Good oral health enhances our ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow, and convey our feelings and emotions through facial expressions. However, oral diseases, which range from cavities to oral cancer, cause pain and disability for millions of Americans each year. For example,

·         Tooth decay (cavities) is a common, preventable problem for people of all ages. For children, untreated cavities can cause pain, dysfunction, school absences, difficulty concentrating, and poor appearance—problems that greatly affect a child's quality of life and ability to succeed. Children from lower-income families often do not receive timely treatment for tooth decay, and they are more likely to suffer from these problems.

Tooth decay is also a problem for many adults, and adults and children of some racial and ethnic groups experience more untreated decay.

·         Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection caused by bacteria that gets under the gum tissue and begins to destroy the gums and bone. Teeth become loose, chewing becomes difficult, and teeth may have to be extracted. Gum disease also may be connected to damage elsewhere in the body; recent studies link oral infections with diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and premature, low-weight births. Further research is under way to examine these connections.

Most Oral Diseases Are Preventable

Many children and adults still go without simple measures that have been proven to be effective in preventing oral diseases and reducing dental care costs. An example is water fluoridation. Fluoride prevents tooth decay, and the most cost-effective way to deliver the benefits of fluoride to all residents of a community is through water fluoridation—that is, adjusting the fluoride in the public water supply to the appropriate level for decay prevention. However, only 27 states have met the Healthy People 2010 objective of having 75% of their citizens on public water systems with water fluoridation.

Fluoridation is cost effective. One CDC study found that in communities with more than 20,000 residents, every $1 invested in community water fluoridation yields about $38 in savings each year from fewer cavities treated.

Make the commitment today to take care of your mouth.  This includes brushing, flossing, keeping your tongue clean, not smoking and eating healthy foods.  

Thankfully technology has advanced in great measures giving us incredible tools to heal oral diseases.  If you haven't taken time to learn about our LANAP procedure (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) that has saved many from tooth loss and even restored gum health, click here.

Call us today for a free consultation about LANAP.  

It really does reverse damage!

(541)451-1440