The WHO’s Global Oral Health Status Report of 2022 has estimated that oral health conditions affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide. It includes the oral health profiles of individual countries including India. Read on to learn more.
Global cases of oral diseases have increased by 1 billion over the last 30 years. Much of the disease burden has been linked to modern lifestyle changes. Common conditions of the mouth such as tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss, injuries, and oral cancers are highly preventable and can be treated in the early stage
Oral Health Profile of India
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its Global Oral Health Status Report, which provides the first-ever comprehensive picture of the burden of oral disease worldwide as well as data profiles for 194 countries, including India.
“Oral health has long been neglected in global health, but many oral diseases can be prevented and treated with… cost-effective measures…”
WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL, DR TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS
In India, untreated tooth cavities have a prevalence of 43.3% among children under 9 years of age, while gum diseases occur in almost 22% of adults.
In 2019, over 5 million INR was spent on dental healthcare in both private and public setups. The WHO also reported over 1 lakh new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in India in 2020 alone.
What Causes Diseases Inside the Mouth?
Global oral health conditions are caused by modifiable lifestyle factors.
- Inadequate exposure to fluoride (in drinking water and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste)
- Easy availability of food with high sugar content
- Use of tobacco
- Alcohol consumption
- Limited access to oral health care services in some communities
- High out-of-pocket expenditures at oral care centers
How Can We Prevent Oral Diseases?
Here are a few ways in which we can keep our mouths healthy and safe.
- Consuming a well-balanced diet low in free sugars and high in fruit and vegetables, and favoring water as the main drink
- Avoiding the use of all forms of tobacco, including chewing areca nuts
- Avoiding alcohol consumption
- Use of protective equipment when playing sports and traveling on bicycles and motorcycles (to reduce the risk of facial injuries)
- Adequate exposure to fluoride (in toothpaste) for the prevention of dental caries
- Regular oral/ dental check-ups
Takeaway
- Oral health should not be neglected
- It can be improved by positive lifestyle changes
- Cost-effective oral/ dental care can reduce the disease burden
Source
- WHO Global Oral Health Country Profile – India https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/oral-health/oral-health-ind-2022-country-profile.pdf?sfvrsn=ece86a88_8&download=true
- WHO Global Oral Health Fact sheet https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health
