|
ORAL HEALTH
Dental disease is the single
most prevalent chronic childhood disease. With today’s tools and technologies,
oral disease is almost 100% preventable. Prevention is cost effective, with the
potential to save millions of dollars.
The West Virginia Healthy Kids and
Families Coalition is committed to improving oral health in West
Virginia by increasing public awareness of the problem, disseminating the
results of research about the value and efficacy of oral disease prevention,
coordinating state and local efforts, and proposing and supporting policy changes that
foster improved oral health for West Virginia children and families.
|
WV Oral Health Resources
Page
IT'S A FACT...
Bad gums could be as strong a risk factor for heart attacks as smoking
cigarettes, which causes about 40,000 heart-related deaths a year.
Daniel Haney, AP Medical Director, 2/1998
A new study of fatty deposits lodged in the carotid arteries of stroke
sufferers shows that 70% contain bacteria and 40% of the bacteria comes
from the mouth. USA Today, 4/1998
Men with periodontal disease have a stronger propensity for
cardio-vascular disease than men without periodontal disease, with those
under 50 with periodontal disease having a greater risk than those over
50. J. Periodontal 1998: 69:841-850.
Diabetics with gum disease were three times more likely to have heart
attacks than those without gum disease. USA Today, 4/1998.
Women with gum disease are seven to eight times more likely to give
birth prematurely to low birth-weight babies. USA Today, 4/1998
Bacteria in plaque are linked to lung infections in people with chronic
lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. USA Today,
2/1998.
It appears that the extent of sites with probing depths >3 mm is
strongly related to the incidence of total coronary heart disease.
Annals of Periodontology, Vol.3 #1, July 1998; 127-141.
Studies also suggest that good oral hygiene habits may improve fertility
in sub-fertile males. Oral Health and Hygiene, 9/1999.
Under the surface . . . are pockets of infection that contain billions
of bacteria. If this oozing mess was out where it could be seen, it
would be a bone-deep sore the size of the palms of both hands. Daniel
Haney, AP Medical Director, 2/1998.
|
Oral health supporters gathered with First Lady
Gayle Manchin at the December 2006
Oral Health Summit at the Governor's Mansion. For more
pictures from the
summit, click
here.
|
