According to a study, almost four billion people worldwide suffer from diseases of the oral cavity. The World Health Organization therefore calls for more education and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. However, oral health is also often dependent on social status.
Oral diseases affect nearly 45 percent of people worldwide, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 2.5 billion people worldwide have tooth decay and one billion people have gum disease. At least 380,000 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year. Too many people lack education and support for good oral hygiene, and for many, a dentist is not within reach or is unaffordable.
Governments and authorities need to educate people better and promote a diet that also has a positive impact on oral health. These included fewer sugary foods, less tobacco use, and less alcohol. Toothpaste containing fluoride must be available everywhere, the WHO has demanded. She called on countries to integrate oral health into primary health care, to better inform people and to ensure prompt treatment if problems arise.
Health workers who have not previously specialized in oral health can be trained accordingly. Three-quarters of those affected by oral disease live in low- and middle-income countries, the WHO reported. Even within a country, members of poorer and disadvantaged social groups and people who live in institutions or far away in the countryside are often poorly cared for than others. That must be fixed.
