By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Hold your breath: $136 billion. That’s the total annual costs in America related to dental care — as estimated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and based on several reports and studies. In the United States, on average, over 34 million school hours are lost each …
The Dentist is In
Fear factor
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim It’s called dentophobia. Or fear of the dentist, fear of going to the dental clinic and/or fear of sitting on the dental chair. It could be triggered by the whirring sound of the dental drill. Or the sight of the sharp stainless steel instruments common in dental clinics. Dentophobia …
Location, location, location
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Dental care depends on where one lives. Too often, good oral health care is more common in rich than in poor countries, according to research based on a questionnaire survey conducted among health authorities in the 194 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). The study appears in the …
Ramen, white bread and tooth decay
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Even pre-lockdown, instant ramen was a staple to many, young and old, across the demographic board. During the three-month-plus shelter-in-place and long after as we stay-in for longer than ever, noodles and white bread are common table items, convenient, easy to prepare and, in between rice meals, filling as well. …
Bridging the gap
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Over P50 million. That’s how much New York University (NYU) will receive to train dentists and other health professionals to provide oral health care to people with disabilities and complex medical conditions. The NYU College of Dentistry received the nearly $2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), …
Bad gums and cancer
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Gum ailment or periodontal disease may increase the risk of getting sick with cancer by half. A new study was published July 20 in the journal Gut, suggests that gum disease may increase the risk of stomach cancer by 52 percent and throat cancer by 43 percent. Compared to those …
A cavity-free future
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Tooth decay poses a significant challenge to health care worldwide. Tooth decay and oral diseases affect 3.9 billion people, with untreated tooth decay impacting almost half of the world’s population. In the Philippines, oral disease continues to be a “serious public health problem,” according to the Department of Health. The …
IBD — A cure inside the mouth?
iBy Dr. Joseph D. Lim Poor oral health may cause or worsen heart disease and diabetes conditions. Now another disease has been linked to poor oral health — inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. One example is ulcerative colitis which causes inflammation and sores or ulcers in the …
Under the radar
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim During the lockdown, the dental profession was not seen as a most essential part of health care. For this and many other reasons, one being safety for both patients and dentists, many dental clinics closed. Below the radar of news reports, were the thousands of dental staff that many clinics …
Stomach viruses
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim A class of viruses known to cause severe diarrhea can grow in the salivary glands of mice and spread through their saliva. This was discovered by scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Their findings show that a new route of transmission exists for these common viruses, which …