Thread by @WHO

Today is World #OralHealth Day.
Oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people 🌏🌍🌎
They cause:
🔹 pain
🔹 discomfort
🔹 disfigurement
🔹 death

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Oral diseases can be caused by a range of modifiable behaviors including:

🔹 unhealthy diet high in sugar
🔹 use of tobacco
🔹 alcohol consumption
🔹 poor hygiene
🔹 inadequate exposure to fluoride

#OralHealth
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The most common #OralHealth diseases are:

🔹 dental caries
🔹 periodontal diseases
🔹 oral cancer
🔹 oro-dental trauma
🔹 cleft lip and palate
🔹 noma: a severe gangrenous disease starting in the mouth mostly affecting children

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Most #OralHealth conditions are largely preventable and can be treated in their early stages. But treatment is expensive and usually not part of universal health coverage.

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Most low- and middle-income countries are unable to provide prevention and treatments for #OralHealth conditions.

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Most oral diseases and conditions share modifiable risk factors common to these 4⃣ diseases:

🔷 cardiovascular disease
🔷 cancer
🔷 chronic respiratory disease
🔷 diabetes

There is a proven relationship between good #OralHealth and general health.

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Prevent #OralHealth diseases by:
🔹eating a healthy diet
🔹stopping use of all forms of tobacco
🔹reducing alcohol consumption
🔹using protective equipment when doing sports & traveling on bicycles and motorcycles (to reduce the risk of facial injuries)

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#OralHealth can be improved through the use of digital technology.

mOralHealth interventions promote oral health through text messages 📲
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530 million children 🌏🌍🌎 suffer from dental caries of milk teeth.

In #Vanuatu, the 'Healthy Tooth School” program is
teaching children aged 5–7 years how to brush their 🦷 and develop lifelong healthy habits.
#OralHealth

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Oral diseases disproportionally affect the poor and socially disadvantaged members of society. There is a very strong and consistent association between socioeconomic status (income, occupation, and educational level) and #OralHealth diseases.

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