Smile Safeguard: A Comprehensive Guide to Ensuring Dental Health
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by dwdadmin
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Two decades ago, Surgeon General David Satcher released a groundbreaking report on oral health that underscored how important good dental health is to overall health. Today, the nation faces new and more complex challenges in achieving good oral health. Many of these challenges are connected to changes in expectations and trends, including technological advances that drive the delivery of care, consumer demands for esthetic results, and declining access to affordable preventive services (The Lancet 2019).
Preventive dentistry is an approach that aims to catch issues such as gum disease or tooth decay before they get worse. This proactive method of care can be incredibly beneficial for individuals of all ages, as it helps to improve the quality of life by keeping the teeth and mouth healthy.
Brushing and flossing are the cornerstones of home-based dental hygiene and can significantly help prevent issues like cavities and gum disease. However, there are a number of other essential aspects to consider when it comes to ensuring dental health, including limiting sugary foods and drinks, avoiding tobacco or chewing products, and consuming sufficient amounts of water. Furthermore, it is extremely important to schedule regular visits to a Northbrook dentist for routine cleanings, which can help remove tartar that brushing and flossing may miss.
The aging population is particularly vulnerable to the impact of dental diseases, and is often more likely to experience barriers to oral health care that others might not face. This is particularly true for frail and disabled elders, or those living in long-term care facilities. In these cases, it can be challenging to ensure proper oral care, which is why it’s vital to develop a coordinated team of caregivers who understand the importance of effective home-based dental hygiene and the importance of consistent dental checkups (Vujicic et al. 2016).
It is also important to have adequate access to affordable dental insurance coverage. This is difficult for many people, particularly those who are uninsured or have limited coverage. In addition, dental coverage is often treated as an add-on to other forms of health insurance, rather than an integral part of every person’s healthcare plan. This leads to deferral of dental services due to costs, which can have serious consequences in the long run (Vujicic et. al. 2016).
Achieving good oral health is essential for the overall health of individuals, families, communities, and the nation. It is a major driver of quality of life, and it can help individuals achieve other health outcomes such as good cardiovascular and respiratory health, reduced risk for diabetes and cancer, and better cognitive function. In addition, it can help to lower rates of premature death and disability. In order to support the health and well-being of everyone in our communities, it is imperative that we do all we can to reduce disparities and inequities in oral health across the country. This requires a multi-sectoral approach, and we must begin by ensuring that all individuals have adequate access to affordable dental care.
Two decades ago, Surgeon General David Satcher released a groundbreaking report on oral health that underscored how important good dental health is to overall health. Today, the nation faces new and more complex challenges in achieving good oral health. Many of these challenges are connected to changes in expectations and trends, including technological advances that…
Two decades ago, Surgeon General David Satcher released a groundbreaking report on oral health that underscored how important good dental health is to overall health. Today, the nation faces new and more complex challenges in achieving good oral health. Many of these challenges are connected to changes in expectations and trends, including technological advances that…