Oral Health is a Global Epidemic

Not to sound like doom and gloom, but we thought it prudent to mention an oral health white paper released by the World Economic Forum, an international independent, non-profit organization established in 1971 to “strive for a better world where cooperation and trust lead to lasting progress.”

The paper, created in collaboration with the American Dental Association and other organizations, highlights the need to invest in oral health and what the team terms the “global epidemic” of oral disease.  The white paper is the first in a series in which the authors hope to inspire us to reconnect the mouth to the body in pursuit of a “healthier future for all.”

Some highlights:

• Oral health is critical for overall health and well-being. Growing evidence connects a healthy mouth with a healthy body.
• While oral health is critical to overall health and well-being, it is often neglected and healthy systems are not able to provide the care needed.
• Better oral health can lower overall healthcare costs. In the U.S., individuals with heart disease saved $548 to $675 per year on healthcare spending if they went for routine preventative oral healthcare. Among people with diabetes, the savings ranged from $900 to $2,840.
• Productivity losses due to poor oral health cost the global economy $323 billion each year. This is close to the productivity losses from the top 10 diseases accounting for all deaths worldwide.
• Almost half the world’s population are impacted by oral diseases that not only affect the ability to eat the right foods but put you at a greater risk of and from other systemic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, stroke, some cancers and, unfortunately, much more).
• Chronic oral conditions disproportionately affect underserved populations. They define this as including children, the elderly, Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), people living with a disability and those with a low income.

Read the entire white paper here, then make an appointment with one of our board-certified periodontists and support teams to revitalize your smile and improve your overall health!

Please note: Even though Dental Implants are recognized as the overall best solution for replacement of natural teeth (and are far superior to removable dentures), many dental insurance companies still consider these implants as “cosmetic” procedures, offering little-to-no coverage. To help patients improve their lives with dental implants placed by the board-certified dental surgeons here at Pennsylvania Center for Dental Implants and Periodontics, we offer interest-free or low-interest payments. We partner with companies like GreenSky Patient Solutions Lending Club Patient Solutions and CareCredit. Qualified patients can pay for care over time. The sites let you easily calculate what monthly payments will be. We’ll also review options with you to help you come up with a plan that not only meets your oral health care goals but also budget.