“In the past half-century, we have come to recognize that the mouth is a mirror of the body, it is a sentinel of disease, and it is critical to overall health and well-being.”
-- Dr. David Satcher, former Surgeon General of the United States
Oral health means being free of chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral sores, birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay and tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that affect the mouth and oral cavity. (World Health Organization)
The most common oral diseases are dental caries and periodontal (gum) diseases. (World Health Organization)
60-90% of school children worldwide have dental caries. (World Health Organization)
Severe periodontal (gum) disease, which may result in tooth loss, is found in 5-20% of middle-aged adults; the rate varies across geographical regions. (World Health Organization)
Incidence of oral cancer ranges from one to 10 cases per 100 000 population in most countries. (World Health Organization)
Birth defects such as cleft lip and palate occur in around one per 500-700 of all births; the birth prevalence rate varies substantially across ethnic groups and geographical areas. (World Health Organization)
40-50% of people who are HIV-positive have oral fungal, bacterial or viral infections, which often occur early in the course of HIV infection. (World Health Organization)
Traditional curative dental care is a significant economic burden for many high-income countries, where 5-10% of public health expenditure relates to oral health. (World Health Organization)