(Breast implants chicago) Dental Health for Adults
No commentsBy Sybil Carver
The generation of baby boomers will be the first where the majority will keep their natural teeth over their entire lifetime. One huge contributing factor would be their having benefited from water fluoridation and cavity preventing toothpastes.
The number of adults missing all their natural teeth over the past 10 years has declined from 31 percent to 25 percent for those aged 60 years and older, and from 9 percent to 5 percent for those adults between 40 and 59 years.Unfortunately, 5 percent translates to an astounding 1 out of 20 middle-aged adults that are still missing all their teeth. Over 40 percent of poor adults (20 years and older) have at least one untreated decayed tooth compared to 16 percent of non-poor adults.
Toothaches are still the most common pain of the mouth or face reported by adults. Anyone who has ever had a toothache can attest to the fact that this pain can interfere with vital functions such as eating, swallowing, and talking. Amazingly, almost 1 of every 4 adults reported some form of facial pain in the past 6 months.
Not only baby boomers but most adults show signs of gum disease. Severe gum disease affects about 14 percent of adults aged 45 to 54 years. Signs and symptoms of soft tissue diseases such as cold sores are common in adults and affect about 19 percent of those aged 25 to 44 years. Millions of Americans are affected by compromised oral health and chronic disabling diseases such as jaw joint diseases (TMD), diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Women report certain painful mouth and facial conditions (TMD disorders, migraine headaches, and burning mouth syndrome) more often than men. More than 400,000 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from oral problems such as painful mouth ulcers, impaired taste, and dry mouth every year. Hospital patients with weakened immune systems, such as those infected with HIV and other medical conditions (organ transplants) and who use some medications (e.g., steroids), are at higher risk for some oral problems.
More than 164 million hours of work each year by employed adults are lost due to oral health problems or dental visits. The customer service industry employees incredibly lose 2 to 4 times more work hours than executives or professional workers.
Seventy percent of adults reported visiting a dentist in the past 12 months. Those with incomes at or above the poverty level are much more likely to report a visit to a dentist in the past 12 months as those with lower incomes.For every adult 19 years or older without medical insurance, there are three without dental insurance.
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Key Tips To Easily Maintain Good Oral Health
By Sybil Carver
There are a number of precautions that can assist anyone with preventing tooth decay and oral diseases.One of the simplest things to do is drink fluoridated water and use a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride’s protection is like a shield against tooth decay that works at all ages.
To take care of your teeth and gums, you need to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth to reduce dental plaque which can prevent gingivitis; the mildest form of gum disease. Avoiding tobacco products is important because in addition to the general health risks posed by tobacco, smokers have 4 times the risk of developing gum disease compared to non-smokers. Tobacco use in any formcigarette, pipes, and smokeless (spit) tobaccoincreases the risk for gum disease, oral and throat cancers, and oral fungal infection (candidiasis). Spit tobacco containing sugar also increases the risk of tooth decay for good measure.
Heavy use of alcohol is also a risk factor for oral and throat cancers. When used alone, alcohol and tobacco are risk factors for oral cancers, but when used in combination the effects of alcohol and tobacco are even greater. Try to eat wisely. Adults should avoid snacks full of sugars and starches. Limit the number of snacks eaten throughout the day. The recommended five-a-day helping of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables stimulates salivary flow to aid remineralization of tooth surfaces with early stages of tooth decay.
I know it is difficult to do sometimes, but one of the best things you can do to prevent dental problems is to visit the dentist regularly. Dental check-ups can detect early signs of oral health problems and can lead to treatments that will prevent further damage, and in some cases, reverse the problem. Have your teeth professionaly cleaned as well(prophylaxis) as it is important for preventing oral problems, especially when self-care is difficult.
Diabetic patients should work to maintain control of their disease. This will help prevent the complications of diabetes, including an increased risk of gum disease. If you are taking certain medications that produce a dry mouth, you should ask your doctor if there are other drugs that can be substituted. If dry mouth unfortunately cannot be avoided, you can drink plenty of water, chew sugarless gum, and stay clear of tobacco and alcohol.
Before beginning cancer treatment you should have an oral health check-up. Radiation to the head or neck and/or chemotherapy may cause problems for your teeth and gums. Treating existing oral health problems before cancer therapy may help prevent or limit oral complications or tissue damage.
Additional informative on health issues may be found at oral and dental
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Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 7:35 pm and is filed under hygiene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
