MARCH 17 — March 20 has been designated as World Oral Health Day by the FDI World Dental Federation, and this year is the last year of a three-year campaign theme centred on encouraging people around the globe to take pride in their mouths. This year’s focus is the importance of good oral health for all stages of life. This is especially pertinent here in Malaysia, as we are eagerly anticipating the release of the National Oral Health Policy that aims to define strategies and actions to deliver better oral healthcare to all Malaysians, and empowering them to further improve their health and quality of life.
So, why is good oral health so important to us all? Most of us are aware of the need to have periodic dental checkups, and the inconvenience and expense of needing dental treatment. Beyond the inconvenience, cost, and of course sometimes pain of having dental problems, there are many more issues that affect us both directly and indirectly. In many ways, the mouth is the doorway to the body. We celebrate happiness by smiling and showing our teeth, and often take for granted how we can communicate with our friends and loved ones and enjoy eating and drinking without pain or embarrassment. But we need to be aware that, like everything else, our mouths and teeth need to be cared for, as neglect can lead to dental problems.
Although there are a number of problems that can affect our mouth health, the two most common conditions are dental decay (dental caries) and gum disease (periodontal disease or gingivitis). The World Health Organisation estimates that 3.5 billion people globally suffer from oral diseases, making this the most common health problem affecting mankind. The economic burden of this alone is huge, but at the individual level this also affects health and wellbeing in a multitude of ways. For example, having poor oral health or bad teeth can result in embarrassment and low self-esteem, loss of time at work or school, and has been linked to poor academic progress in schoolchildren and employment prospects in adults. Older adults who have lost their teeth may not be able to consume a nutritious diet due to their inability to chew certain healthy foods. There is also increasing evidence that poor oral health affects overall health in many ways. For example, poor oral health in pregnant women is associated with an increased risk of them having premature or low birth weight babies, and there are strong associations between gum disease and cardiovascular problems such as stroke and heart attack, diabetes, pneumonia, and even Alzheimer’s disease in older adults.
What causes this problem?
Both tooth decay and gum disease are caused by the bacteria we all have living in our mouths. The bacteria form a film on the teeth known as dental plaque that if left alone will thicken and start to cause problems. Some of the bacteria make acids when we eat or drink sugary foods or drinks several times a day. The plaque can irritate the gums and cause bleeding and gum disease if left unchecked. By cleaning our teeth regularly, we can help stop the growth of plaque, and by paying close attention to our eating and snacking habits we can further limit the risk of decay developing. Many of us snack five or more times a day, and we know that this type of eating behaviour increases the risk of decay.
What does this mean for Malaysians?
Despite progress made over the past decades, according to the 2015 National Oral Health Survey there is still an epidemic of decay in toddlers and pre-school age children, with decay affecting over seven out of ten 5-year-olds, with an average of nearly five teeth affected and as many as one in eight requiring extractions. Untreated decay affects nearly one in four adults, while one in ten has severe gum disease. The estimated cost is US$277 (RM1,242) on dental expenditures alone, while less than a quarter of the population had a dental visit in the last 12 months, according to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey.
What can we do at home and every day to help prevent these problems?
The good news of all this is that solutions are effective and relatively inexpensive. Prevention is always cheaper than the cure, and raising awareness of good habits and practices can only help ease the burden and keep us all smiling. Below are the key steps we recommend for good oral health:
1. Regular dental checkups.
See a dental professional before you have problems, and they can identify and treat small problems before they become big problems
2. Practice good oral hygiene at home
Brush your teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste. Each person in a family should have their own brush and these should be replaced regularly – every three months is ideal. Clean your baby’s teeth by wiping them with gauze when they come through. Make it a habit to brush your toddlers’ older teeth with a child-sized brush, encouraging them to do it themselves as they grow. Cleaning between the teeth with dental floss or other implements is also important, but this can be more challenging and may require some training.
3. Chew sugar-free gum after meals and snacks
Modern eating habits — with more people snacking on-the-go — mean teeth are more frequently exposed to the risk of decay. One way to protect teeth when on-the-go is to chew sugar-free gum after eating meals and snacks. Chewing gum generates saliva that can neutralise the acids that cause decay, protecting enamel. Saliva also contains important minerals that can help repair damaged enamel, making chewing sugar-free gum an inexpensive and convenient way strengthening teeth. Of course, it’s also important to limit consumption of sugary foods and drinks and to prioritize eating fruit and vegetables as much as possible.
So with the upcoming recognition of World Oral Health Day, let’s inspire change by focusing on the importance of oral health at every stage of life, because no matter what age you are, caring for your mouth and looking after your oral health is important. After all, the World Health Organisation has positioned oral health as a key indicator overall health, well-being and quality of life.
*Dr Michael Dodds, BDS PhD is Senior Principal Scientist, Science & Technology at Mars Wrigley.
**This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
