Oral diseases are a major health concern for many countries and negatively impact people throughout life. They lead to pain and discomfort, social isolation and loss of self-confidence, and are often linked to other serious health issues, says the FDI World Dental Federation, ahead of World Oral Health Day (March 20). The group represents over a million dentists globally, and this year’s campaign — ‘A happy mouth is a happy mind’ — highlights the connect between oral and mental health, as conveyed by the mascot ‘Toothie’ the beaver.
According to the World Health Organization, oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people. Prevention and treatment for oral health conditions is expensive and usually not part of national universal health coverage (UHC) benefit packages.
Oral diseases are caused by a range of modifiable risk factors common to many non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including sugar consumption, tobacco use, alcohol use and poor hygiene, and their underlying social and commercial determinants. But most low- and middle-income countries do not have sufficient services available to prevent and treat oral health conditions, the WHO said.
