Oral health has been one of the most ignored and overlooked parts of health care delivery. However, the Surgeon General’s Oral Health In America report suggests that oral health problems can lead to other severe health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, stroke, diabetes, and premature birth. The good news is that with proper early interventions, early oral disease such as dental decay is entirely preventable.
Last month, Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and former Mass DPH Commissioner, announced the Oral Health Initiative 2010 to spotlight the importance of oral health and mobilize preventive efforts. This new program is has three main priorities:
- to emphasize greater preventive efforts among enrollees of Medicaid and Head Start
- to address provider shortages by reinforcing the oral health workforce
- to increase research and public education of oral health
The Oral Health Initiative 2010 is a response to the “silent epidemic” of oral diseases that affects millions of Americans nation-wide, especially the 108 million people without dental insurance. Federal health reform includes grants to community health centers and support for the health care workforce, which will help. The Oral Health Initiative 2010 aims to collaboratively generate new resources and prevention strategies to preserve oral health.
The program alleviates barriers to care caused by factors such as socioeconomic status, geographic isolation, and lack of education. One of the most significant barriers has been the shortage of dental care professionals. According to Dr. Koh, the HHS has identified 4,230 areas as dental health professional shortage areas, which have a total 49 million residents.
The Oral Health Initiative has mobilized nine different public health institutions to collectively combat poor oral health access and quality. Emphasis will be placed on community-based care and enabling pediatricians to prescribe fluoride vanish for children to prevent tooth decay.
Ultimately, the Oral Health Initiative 2010 reframes the value of oral health through the simple idea that “Oral Health is Integral to Overall Health.” While HHS will face challenges in coordinating and integrating all nine sub-initiatives within the new program, we are excited about the new program as it unfolds.
-Qiong Lin
I went to see my dentist recently and she brought up the issue of oral health in the U.S. and how it is neglected. Issues with oral health can be stopped from a primary care perspective…following simple and routine health hygiene practices. For example, it can’t be stressed enough that flossing should accompany brushing like peanut butter to jelly.
One thing I did learn during my visit was that gums that recede (due to not brushing in a circular motion) expose the sensitive parts of the tooth and increase chances of cavities or tooth decay. This can easily be prevented by brushing up from the bottom of the gums – think of it as a proper massage for your mouth.
Nutrition is also something important to consider when caring for your mouth. Certain foods or beverages (e.g. coffee) are cariogenic – foods containing fermentable carbs that are metabolized by bacteria to cause tooth demineralization. I posted an article that goes into more detail (http://publichealthbugle.com/?p=1359).