According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), oral health is often taken for granted. However, oral health is an essential part of life. After all, oral diseases cause disability and pain to millions of Americans every year.
The CDC has compiled a fact sheet on oral health that can help the public better understand the great importance of good oral health, and what the CDC continues to do to promote better oral health.
Most Oral Diseases Are Preventable
Many children and adults still go without simple measures that have been proven to be effective in preventing oral diseases and reducing dental care costs. An example is water fluoridation. Fluoride prevents tooth decay, and the most cost-effective way to deliver the benefits of fluoride to all residents of a community is through water fluoridation-that is, adjusting the fluoride in the public water supply to the appropriate level for decay prevention. However, only 27 states have met the Healthy People 2010 objective of having 75% of their citizens on public water systems with water fluoridation.
Fluoridation is cost effective. One CDC study found that in communities with more than 20,000 residents, every $1 invested in community water fluoridation yields about $38 in savings each year from fewer cavities treated.
Another safe, effective way to prevent cavities is through the use of dental sealants-plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, where most decay occurs. Yet only about one-third of children aged 6-19 years have sealants. Although children from lower-income families are almost twice as likely to have decay as those from higher-income families, they are only half as likely to have sealants.
Oral Health Problems Are Costly
- Each year, Americans make about 500 million visits to dentists.
- In 2010, an estimated $108 billion was spent on dental services in the United States.
CDC is the lead federal agency responsible for promoting oral health through public health interventions. Through its oral health activities, CDC
- Helps states strengthen their oral health programs, reach people most affected by oral diseases, and expand the use of effective interventions to prevent oral diseases.
- Promotes oral health in communities, schools, and health care settings nationwide.
- Supports research to strengthen prevention efforts at the community level.
- Evaluates the cost-effectiveness of prevention strategies.