When the question is asked: name some most common non-communicable diseases, it is usual to recollect names such as diabetes, cancer, and hypertension; very rarely does one say – oral cavity diseases. The authoritative body on health, WHO (World Health Organization) states oral disease is one of the most common non-communicable disease that affects people of all age groups, throughout the lifetime causing pain, discomfort, disfigurement and even death.  Problems of dental health result in loss of self-confidence, self-esteem, introverted nature and consequent loss in social well-being, and finally, at times, loss of socialization opportunities and job prospects. Non-communicable oral disease impacts 360-degree lifestyle including work life.

Dental disease normally covers teeth and gums, while oral health is a more broad-based term encompassing oral cancer, oral diseases due to HIV, cleft lip and palate, and noma.  The last one – noma, is an infectious disease in which cell death occurs, flesh eating bacteria cause great harm, seen mainly in poor African countries, sufferers have weak immunity and suffer extreme malnutrition.  Untreated noma leads to severe gum disease and even death.

Oral health is crucial for daily living:

Eating, speaking, smiling, tasting, and socializing are all dependent on a healthy oral cavity.  Gum infection and dental caries or tooth decay are common oral health problems, and these disrupt normal living.  Sleep disturbance and lowered productivity are a consequence of oral medical problems.  Due to oral problems people find it difficult to consume choice foods, and eating habits change.  Elderly subjects with reduced number of teeth and weak teeth give up hard foods and choose only soft foods.  Due to poor dental health, diet and nutrition are affected and this worsens general health.  Dental disease complications destroy soft tissues in mouth cavity, and can lead to major problems including death. Dental disease and poor oral health leads to decreased social activity, it affects how a person looks and sounds. As dental health issues are normally addressed to with seriousness, it is not an exaggeration to call oral disease as a ‘silent epidemic’.

Children are more vulnerable to ill effects of oral health: 

If a child lacks dental or oral health, participation in classroom activities, learning, group assignments and overall schooling is below par – this affects child development right upto adulthood.  Lack of social skills due to oral or dental problems creates a chaotic adulthood for the child.  Eating and nutrition problems are more in children with poor oral health.  Three year old children with nursing caries, weighed about 1 kg less than control or normal children – as per a study, as toothache and infection alter eating habits, sleep cycle, diet, metabolism and weight gain. Oral health seemingly an innocuous and not so serious malady is actually a major NCD with far reaching consequences affecting child growth, career, and matrimonial, family, social and professional life.

WHO has taken note of this serious affliction and has given a comprehensive definition of oral health: “a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing”.

While lack of use of oral care products affects oral health, lifestyle factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and high sugars in food worsen the problems. In case of weak immunity patients and diabetics, susceptibility to these health problems including gum disease is more. Abscesses and poor wound healing of gum sores is a challenge in diabetics. Low fluoride toothpastes are safe to use and provide protection from dental caries.

There is a need to make oral health a major health issue:

Oral  and general health are integral to each other. There is a dire need to make it as a major health issue at primary healthcare level itself.  Infections in mouth can infect other internal organs too, similarly infections from other areas can infect oral cavity.  Poor dental health, gum disease and mouth infections lead to heart disease. Other gum disease complications include respiratory problems, premature birth, complications at birth, and stroke.  Poorly controlled blood sugar levels in diabetics causes gum disease.  Australia has hence declared in its national health policy: oral health is fundamental to overall health, well-being and quality of life. In short, it is wise to brush minimum twice a day, and also gargle mouth frequently particularly after food intake.

Sunil S Chiplunkar

 M Pharm (Pharmacology) MBA (Marketing) PGDHRM

VP-Business Development

Group Pharmaceuticals,Bengaluru

Ph: 6364578669

sunilchiplunkar@gmail.com

www.pharmaceuticalshealthcare.blogspot.in

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About 90% of the world’s population will suffer from oral diseases in their lifetime. They range from caries, periodontal diseases and tooth decay to oral cancer. 60% – 90% of school children worldwide have dental caries. Only 60% of the world’s population enjoys access to oral health care. Toothache is the number one reason for absenteeism form school in any countries.

Many of these diseases can be avoided with increased governmental, health association and society support and funding for prevention, detection and treatment programmes. Although the burden of oral diseases is decreasing in developed countries, gum complications are becoming more common, especially in older people. Major risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use and a diet high in fat, salt and sugar contribute to a range of chronic diseases including oral diseases.

Prevention is better than cure :

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense: poor oral health is linked to poor physical health. Your mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body and its systems. If the mouth has a chronic infection or disease, then your entire body may be indirectly or directly exposed to the bacterial infection. Your ability to eat is then compromised as also your nutrition.

Furthermore, the resources needed for your general health to function will be diverted to handle the chronic infection, weakening the overall natural protection your other systems typically enjoy. Research studies document connections between gum disease and cardiovascular ailments, resulting in increased risk of stroke, diabetes, problem pregnancies, respiratory diseases and osteoporosis in women. What’s more, some studies indicate that those who lose all of their natural teeth may have a much shorter life span.

Also Read: Dental health concerns during pregnancy

March 20th World Oral Health Day:

World Oral Health Day is celebrated all over the world on 20^th March to develop activities and initiatives aimed at increasing awareness for oral health as well as the impact of oral diseases on general health, well being and economy. Initially September 12^th corresponded to the birthday of FDI founder Charles Goden was celebrated as world oral health day. This decision and celebration started in the year 2007 during FDI annual world dental congress at Dubai. However, in the year 2013 for administrative reasons, the date was shitted to March 20^th every year.

It is the primary duty and social responsibility of every dentist and any other oral health care provider to raise the oral health issues so that government, health associations and the general public can work together to achieve healthier mouths, and happier lives. We all know most of the oral diseases can be prevented very easily by avoiding tobacco products, opting for healthy life style and avoiding junk foods. If not, identify these diseases at the early stage itself and aiming for primary prevention is always better as the old proverb says “prevention is better than cure”.

The event is observed to spread the message of the benefits of a healthy mouth and to promote worldwide awareness of the issues around oral health. It’s the recognition as paramount of the importance of maintaining oral hygiene for everyone old and young. It is a day for people to have fun a day that should be full of activities that make us laugh, sing and smile. The World Oral Health Day offers dental and oral health community a platform to take action and help reduce the global diseases burden.

“It all starts here. Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body”. It aims to get everyone to recognise the impact of oral health on their overall physical health and well being. Good oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups – and by self-managing oral disease risk factors – smoking, alcohol, sugar, etc you will have healthy teeth.

Dr.Muralee Mohan Choonthar
Consultant Maxillo Facial Surgeon, Suraksha Dental Clinic,
Hosangadi Manjeshwara – 671323,
Kasaragoad, Kerala.
Mob: 9845135787

www.surakshadental.com

The post Oral Health is very important – Healthy Mouth Healthy Body appeared first on Health Vision.

Oral care refers to healthcare practices of taking care of one’s oral cavity (mouth).  This ideally, should be an important healthcare priority – however, it is often neglected.  People spend large amounts of time and money on products for hair and skin care.   However, many of these same people do not brush twice a day, making themselves vulnerable to oral health issues that mainly include: dental hypersensitivity pain and discomfort, dental caries and gingivitis or mild gum disease.  Easy availability and consumption of sugary comfort foods and drinks, increased use of alcohol and tobacco, and growing incidence of diabetes and other metabolic disorders – has propelled the rise of oral disease.

Dentin hypersensitivity

Easy and comfortable consumption of food by people of all age groups is essential for assimilation of nutrients.  One needs to masticate food (chew food well into a paste form in the mouth) and make a bolus for swallowing.  Mixing of ingested food with saliva starts the process of digestion in the mouth itself and antimicrobial proteins of saliva provide immunity.  Improper mastication of food and insufficient mixing with saliva can contribute to indigestion.  In elders and metabolic disease patients, hyposalivation or reduced saliva production reduces immune or self-defense function in the mouth causing increased oral infectious disease.

The hardest substance of the body is enamel – it is the outer layer of teeth.  The enamel layer has enamelin proteins that attracts calcium and phosphate ions, thereby causing mineral deposition and grants strength to enamel layer.  The second inner middle layer is dentin that has a number of dentinal tubules with fluid in it, and also has minerals.  The third innermost layer with blood vessels and nerves is the pulp cavity.  At the junction between dentin and pulp cavity are specialized cells called odontoblasts that manufacture elements required for dentin and enamel.

Excessive hard brushing of teeth, friction, continuous rubbing of tooth surface by the opposite teeth, attack of enamel by acids produced by bacteria, effect of acid that is refluxed from stomach in patients suffering hyperacidity problems and finally broken teeth – causes enamel erosion and enamel thinning.  This exposes the second dentin layer.  When food, touch, movement of saliva and air when speaking stimulate the dentinal fluid in exposed dentinal tubes, the person suffers a sharp sudden short term pain particularly when consuming ice cream, cold foods or hot foods.  This sensitivity pain of teeth due to eroded enamel and exposed dentin is called dentin hypersensitivity.

Short term dentin hypersensitivity discomfort and pain is also caused by various dental procedures like scaling and crown placement.  Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a common challenge in persons 20 years to 40 years age group – although it can occur in younger adults and elders.  DH is more common in ladies.

Dental caries and gingivitis

In dental caries, there is bacterial infection of teeth resulting in tiny holes or openings called cavities.  Dental caries infection results in loss of tooth minerals thereby rendering teeth becoming weak and there is loss of function.  When toothpaste is used while brushing teeth, the calcium and phosphate ions released from the paste saturates saliva and there is deposition of these minerals to remineralize and strengthen enamel.  Hence, proper brushing with toothpaste reinforces enamel with minerals and the mechanical action of brushing removes the soft sticky film present on teeth that contains the caries-causing bacteria.  Dentists recommend special toothpastes based on patient requirement for better oral health and protection from dental caries

Gingivitis is mild gum infection.  Severe gum infection can lead to infection in other organs including the heart.  Gingivitis affects mouth function and makes eating and drinking very problematic.  Hence, regular dental check-up is a wise choice.  Dental colleges welcome patients and offer free or very economical services.  The advantage of dental colleges offering dental treatment is this supports dental education and the patient can benefit from advice plus treatment by highly qualified faculty.

Oral health is stressed by WHO (World Health Organization)

The WHO has estimated in 2017 that about 3.5 billion people in this world suffer oral diseases.  Dental caries is the most common oral infection.  The overall health and quality of life of an individual is indicated by oral health.  The more dangerous oral disease is oral cancer.  Gum disease progression is linked to diabetes, which too is a global burden.  Hence, it is wise to gargle consistently after meals, brush with a good toothpaste twice daily, get a dental check-up every six months (do not hesitate – go to dental college hospitals for dental check-ups) and follow the dentist’s advice.

Sunil S Chiplunkar

M Pharm (Pharmacology) MBA (Marketing) PGDHRM (PhD)

VP – Business Development, Group Pharmaceuticals, Bangalore

E mail: 1969sunilchiplunkar@gmail.com

Mob: 63645 78669

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