Mexico, between countries with more dental problems

• April 27, 2024

Dental and oral diseases that affect the population worldwide include cavities until oral cancer , which implies not only an enormous health expenditure, but also one of the chronic disorders that put at risk more than 90% of the world population, according to the International Dental Federation (FDI) .

According to President of the FDI, Dr. Orlando Monteiro da Silva , "dental and oral diseases can be largely prevented if people adopt good oral hygiene habits, which can reduce the main risk factors, such as smoking, responsible for more than 50% of periodontal diseases.

One of the biggest problems for the prevention of dental diseases, is that oral health care is almost inaccessible in countries with medium and low income, so the incidence of diseases such as cavities continues to prevail.

In this sense, according to the Mexican Dental Association (ADM), in Mexico, 85% of people suffer cavities , as well as 90% gingivitis In addition, on average, only three toothpastes and a toothbrush are consumed. Average well below countries like the United States, Argentina or Brazil.

According to figures obtained from the study applied to Latin America with indicators of caries, DMFT, from the WHO, (Oral Health Country 2005) , the presence of the disease is distributed with the following percentage: Central America 4.2 (except Cuba), Central America, including Cuba, 3.8, South America, 3.6, and North America 2.5.

Despite the notable general decrease in cases of cavities During the last 30 years, according to the WHO, its prevalence remains unacceptably high in many developed countries. Even in countries where the average CPO index is low, such as China or Nigeria, a significant proportion of children have relatively high levels of cavities.

On the other hand, The Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe reveals that more than 50% of the population of this continent suffers some type of periodontal disease, with older adults presenting a risk of 70 to 80% severity.

An example of this is that in Spain, according to the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology , the health and oral hygiene of the elderly in that country is worrisome: 50% do not brush their teeth and only 25% do it twice a day, so they are more at risk of chronic disease, and even disability.

Therefore, among the preventive measures through healthy habits, the Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion of WHO recommends:

1. The reduction of sugar intake and a well-balanced diet prevent the cavities dental and premature tooth loss.
2. Quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption decrease the risk of cancers of the oral cavity, periodontal diseases and tooth loss.
3. The consumption of fruits and vegetables protects against cancer of the oral cavity .
4. The use of effective protective equipment in the practice of sports and the use of motor vehicles reduces facial injuries.

It should be noted that dental and oral diseases not only affect health, but also have a negative impact on self-esteem and cause problems related to social interaction and vital functions, such as speech and sleep. Therefore, it is vital to adopt habits such as proper oral hygiene and go periodically to the dentist.

Video Medicine: DENTAL IN MEXICO: I PAID $700 FOR $4500 WORTH OF WORK (Here's how it turned out) (April 2024).