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Solely funded by the Delta Dental Foundation, The Importance
of Oral Health examines the connection between oral health
and overall health. Millions of Americans suffer from untreated
dental diseases, amounting to what former Surgeon General
David Satcher refers to as a “silent epidemic.”
According to the first-ever Surgeon General’s report
on oral health entitled “Oral Health in America,”
(written in 2000) good oral health and general health are
inseparable. Oral health involves more than just filling
cavities, it includes the prevention and treatment of several
forms of gum disease (periodontitis) and oral cancer. Oral
health is also important because of its connection to other
diseases.
The program begins with a tape-piece featuring Dr. Andrew
Greenberger, a periodontist (gum disease specialist) with
a private practice in West Orange. Greenberger says the
mouth is a portal to the entire body and that many systemic
conditions are influenced by bacteria that are in the mouth.
Greenberger asserts that gum disease is linked to cardiac
disease, low birth weight and diabetes. We talk with his
patient who, because of a heart condition, must take medication
before having any dental work.
Andrew Greenberger |
Beverly Lynn
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Scott Navarro
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Arnold Rosenheck
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The studio portion should further enhance the viewer’s
understanding of the importance of oral health and the relationship
of the mouth to the rest of the body. Areas of discussion
will include:
Common oral health problems and risk factors associated
with them
- Oral health problems cause physical suffering and premature
death, disrupt children’s education, reduce business
productivity, and entail considerable expense to treat advanced
diseases.
The connection between oral health and general well
being
- Research findings point to possible associations between
chronic oral infections and diabetes, heart and lung diseases,
stroke, low-birth-weight, premature births
- Many diseases and conditions have oral warning signs,
which may be the first clue to clinical disease.
Oral cancer
- In the US, a person dies from oral cancer every hour of
every day. However, when found early, oral cancer has an
80 to 90 % cure rate. (oral cancer foundation)
Oral health in children
- Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood
disease—5 times more common than asthma and 7 times
more common than hay fever
- Oral care begins at infancy
Oral health and the elderly
- 23% of 65-74 year olds have severe periodontal disease
- Most older Americans take both prescription and over-the-counter
drugs, and at least one of the medications used will have
an oral side effect, putting them at greater risk for oral
disease
- 5% of Americans aged 65 and older are living in a long-term
care facility where dental care is problematic
Treatments and prevention options
- Many health problems could be avoided-or treated early
by making better use of proven interventions.
- 1/3 of US population (100 million) has no access to community
water fluoridation.
- Fluoridating water supplies helps to prevent tooth decay
in children and adults; however, it has its opponents claiming
fluoridation is medicating people through their water supply
for a non-lethal disease.
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