By Dr. Joseph D. Lim
Oral diseases, while largely preventable, pose a major health burden for many people throughout their lifetime, causing pain, discomfort, disfigurement, and even death.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people globally.
The United Nations health agency cites data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 showing that untreated dental caries (tooth decay) in permanent teeth is the most common oral health challenge.
Oral diseases are caused by a range of modifiable risk factors common to many noncommunicable diseases, including sugar consumption, tobacco use, alcohol use and poor hygiene, and their underlying social and commercial determinants.
Most oral health conditions are largely preventable and can be treated in their early stages. Most cases are dental caries (tooth decay), periodontal (gum) diseases, tooth loss and oral cancers. Other oral conditions of public health importance are orofacial clefts and noma (severe gangrenous disease starting in the mouth mostly affecting children).
The WHO Global Oral Health Status Report estimates that oral diseases affect close to 3.5 billion people worldwide, with three out of four people affected living in middle-income countries.
Globally, an estimated two billion people suffer from caries or tooth decay in permanent teeth and 514 million children suffer from caries of primary teeth.
Dental caries result when plaque forms on the surface of a tooth and converts the free sugars contained in foods and drinks into acids that destroy the tooth over time. Free sugars are all the sugars added to foods by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices.
A continued high intake of free sugars, inadequate exposure to fluoride and non-removal of plaque by toothbrushing can lead to tooth decay, pain and sometimes tooth loss and infection.
Gum disease also affects the tissues that both surround and support the teeth. The disease is characterized by bleeding or swollen gums (gingivitis), pain and sometimes bad breath.
In its more severe form, the gum can come away from the tooth and supporting bone, causing teeth to become loose and sometimes fall out.
Severe periodontal diseases are estimated to affect around 19 percent of the global adult population, representing more than one billion cases worldwide. The main risk factors for periodontal disease are poor oral hygiene and tobacco use.
“Prevalence of the main oral diseases continues to increase globally with growing urbanization and changes in living conditions,” the WHO says in a public advisory.
“This is primarily due to inadequate exposure to fluoride [in the water supply and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste], availability and affordability of food with high sugar content and poor access to oral healthcare services in the community.”
The marketing of food and beverages high in sugar, as well as tobacco and alcohol, has led to a growing consumption of products that contribute to oral health conditions and other noncommunicable diseases, it says.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim, Ed. D., is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology; and Founding Chairman of the Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines, College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De La Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate Professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com/WDJ