Preventive Oral Health Measures Could Save Lives In Third World Countries
Most national governments, especially those is least developed countries, place a low priority in promoting preventive measures for oral health. That’s probably because oral health is not exactly life threatening and that teeth are seen as expendable. Most dentists are not exactly keen to be involved in advocacy efforts that promote good oral health. Many actually prefer to treat patients than promote preventive measures. Yet, according to Dental Arlington dentists, tooth decay is one of the most prevalent health problems globally. They said that a recent report showed that some 90 percent of the global population has had dental problems or tooth decay, and that five to 15 percent of most populations are suffering from periodontitis. In Southeast Asia, for instance, oral cancer is the most common form of cancer among men (largely due to smoking). Oral cancer is listed as the eighth most common form of cancer worldwide.
A dentist in Arlington said that the disparity between wealthier countries and poor ones can be seen on the dental healthcare workforce, which is spread unevenly throughout the globe. In countries like the United Kingdom and Germany, for instance, there is a dentist for every 1,000 people. This figure can go as high as one for every 50,000 people in low income and middle income nations. But in regions like Africa, the figure is pegged at one dentist for every million. Dentists are most often needed in rural areas, especially in poor countries. But since this is not exactly a practical solution to address oral health problems in least developed countries, prevention has become the best strategy so far.
Dentists in Arlington, some of whom have taken part in promoting preventive measures to promote oral health in least developed countries, said that the most cost-effective approach to prevent tooth decay in rural areas is the daily use of fluoride toothpaste. “It’s the best approach for governments that aim to improve the oral health of the populace,” said one of the dentists. “But that depends on the infrastructure of the country and the political will of the government.”
A Dentistry Arlington dentist said that while fluoride toothpastes might come across as the most cost-effective, it can also be prohibitive because some governments impose as much as 50 percent for tariffs on toothpastes. “These governments should take a look at their oral care programs and cut those taxes on fluoride toothpaste, if not eliminate them, because it limits the ability of manufacturers to lower costs. If this happens, the populace, especially the poor ones, won’t be able to afford fluoride toothpastes,” said the DDS in Arlington. He cited a study done on the Philippines which showed that a government program that has been implemented to promote daily hand wash with soap and subsidized fluoride toothpaste has become effective in terms of improving the oral health of children in the Philippines. Promoting good oral health could also help countries achieve their child-related development goals. That’s because a child who has tooth decay can affect his or her ability to eat, sleep and do school work. It could also contribute to problems related to nutrition
