Serves the best preventive oral health

The current editorials devoted to the time of the year in which many people far more sweetened foods and drinks will be consumed as usual, the oral health and its neglect.

Oral health for the national governments only low priority, since they are rarely fatal impact and teeth are also considered unnecessary. Dentists have shown little interest as a supporter of promoting good oral hygiene, and they have been the treatment of oral diseases a real prevention preferred. Until now, the tooth decay (caries) is one of the most common health problems worldwide, and 90 percent of people have this disease, caused by dental problems or pain suffered. In countries with low to middle income status is such tooth decay is not treated. Severe tooth bed inflammation (Periodontitiden) affect 5 to 15 percent of most populations, and oral cancer in men is the most common in Southeast Asia and the world's achthäufigste cancer.

Dental professionals are unevenly distributed around the world. In countries like Britain or Germany at least, is a dentist per 1,000 people present, but this rate in countries with low to middle income status to one to 50 000 population decline, and in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is at almost one to one million. Rural areas are often those who have a dentist on dringensten need. Although these poor countries need more zahnheilkundliches staff, this is in poor regions would be unworkable. Prevention is the key strategy.

Daily use of fluoride is considered to be cost effective, scientifically substantiated approach to reduce tooth decay. The fluoridation of drinking water is a possible, covering the entire population measure, however, is the introduction of the country's infrastructure and the political will depend. The use of toothpastes fluoridierter is useful, however, can affect the cost hindernd. Since in some countries the tax to 50 percent of a total Zahnputzcreme, governments could reduce these charges and also with the manufacturers to produce a better toothpaste agree. The editorial notes: "In the Philippines, for example, have 97 percent of the six-year-old schoolchildren caries. A new program, the promotion of daily washing hands with soap, brushing her teeth with subsidized fluoridhaltiger toothpaste twice a year and a successful end Entwurmung combined, is at an annual cost of only 0.56 U.S. dollars per child as an effective, affordable and sustainable. "

The promotion of oral health could be the countries in achieving development goals relating to children to help. Tooth decay affects the ability of children to eat, sleep and homework to do. Preliminary studies have shown that tooth decay and associated pain and inflammation in the developing countries, malnutrition, underweight and smaller body size could contribute. For children in the industrialized nations in studies could demonstrate that they treated tooth decay in weight and size, respectively. Toothaches also includes the most common causes for absence from school.

The editorial concludes: "All the health staff, including doctors, nurses, pediatricians and pharmacists can work because of preventive measures such as the use of fluorides, and suggest the risk of oral disease reporting. Politically, the commitment necessary to the prevention of oral diseases into programs to prevent chronic diseases, as well as in public health systems to integrate. Good oral health should be a concern to all. "