The Importance Of Oral And Dental Health

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People often take their oral and dental health for granted. While most people make it a point to remind their children about the importance of keeping their teeth clean and strong, many adults forget to take care of their own mouths and teeth healthy. Tooth decay is not only a problem therefore, of children and adolescents, but also among adults. Surveys show that bout one out of four elderly individuals have lost all their teeth. Furthermore, up to 12% of adults have serious gum problems, most especially among smokers.
Oral health is important because it enhances our ability to smile, speak, and make facial expressions relevant to our feelings or emotions. It also improves our sense of taste and smell, and helps us chew, swallow, and enjoy our food. Keeping the mouth, gums and teeth healthy are not only important to oral and dental health, but also to overall health. Research by experts of the American Heart Association recently showed that the risk of heart attack and stroke may be reduced by having professional dental care. A study involving over 100,000 people who were followed for about 7 years found that professional dental …show more content…

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Americans make about 500 million visits to their dentists yearly. They also found that US dental services cost about $110 billion in 2010. Aside from dental health, other factors can influence oral health, such as nutrition, hygiene and lifestyle habits. The good news, however, is that most oral and dental health problems are preventable.
Simple preventive measures can help ensure oral and dental health. Water fluoridation, for example, is a cost-effective way of reducing the incidence of tooth decay among residents of a community. School-based programs can also help promote dental health among children by monitoring their oral hygiene and applying dental sealants to protect their

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