Oral Health Statistics from World Health Organization (WHO)
Did you know that according to the World Health Organization cavities and gum disease are the most common dental problems in the world? Here are some facts that will put the importance of oral health quickly in everybody’s mind.
Firstly, between 60 and 90% of school children have at least one cavity in their mouth. This is most likely due to their early introduction to a sugary diet, whether as food or beverage.
Almost all adults have at least one dental cavity. Even with the best oral hygiene practices, a few cavity formations are likely to occur as people consume a variety of foods that range from sweet to starchy to acidic.
Severe gum disease affects between 5 and 20% of adults ages 35 to 44. Gum disease can initiate early but since the condition is not too bothersome for most, adults tend not to be serious about it until the disease turns into its serious form – periodontitis.
About 30% of people around the world ages 65 to 74 don’t have any natural teeth left. By the time adults reach their elderly stage and with improper oral practices and poor access to oral care, teeth become damaged and are lost, and at times not replaced.
For every 100,000 people, between 1 and 10 cases have oral cancer. This may be due to the many risk factors attending to this type of cancer – chief among them are smoking, HPV infection, poor diet, weak immune system, and family history.
Mostly the poor or disadvantaged population carry the burden of oral disease. This is primarily due to lack of resources for awareness and education and poor access to timely intervention. This link remains across the life course, from early childhood to older age, regardless of the country’s overall income level.
Building Oral Health Awareness in Bellevue
Do come to Overlake Dental on your next visit. Learn more about oral health in general and about your own issues from your Bellevue dentist.
