We've made it our mission to ensure that every Washingtonian has access to quality oral care. But we don't think it should stop with us - in honor of World Human Rights Day on December 10th, read on below to understand why every person deserves quality oral health care.
From the effects of stress on your oral health to the way certain diseases present themselves in the mouth, we spend a lot of time talking about the importance of your dental health.
There’s a direct connection between the health of your mouth and your overall health and wellbeing, and we believe everyone — be they young, old, rich, or poor — deserves access to the dental care they need to stay as heathy as can be.
Unfortunately, while oral issues such as cavities and gum disease largely be prevented with at-home care and regular visits to the dentist, there still many barriers to people getting the education and healthcare they need.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, “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 the prevalence and severity of oral disease.”
For the estimated 10.5% of the American population living in poverty — nearly 35 million people — dental care is an unattainable luxury. But what if it wasn’t? What if we viewed a person’s oral health — access to regular dental exams, treatment of oral cancers — as a basic human right? The issue is so dire, the 7th International Dental Ethics and Law Society (IDEALS) Congress calls it “the most urgent human rights issue that faces oral health professionals today.”
Lack of Dental Care in Historically Disadvantaged Communities
Poor tooth and gum health can negatively affect so many different aspects of a person’s life.
Oral infections and cavities can cause debilitating pain and require invasive and expensive procedures that could have otherwise been prevented. Poor oral health can also cause personal and psychological problems that can greatly reduce someone’s quality of life.
And due to a lack of dental resources, these issues are more commonly seen in communities that are already burdened with social, economic, or geographical disadvantages.
- Tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic disease in U.S. children and adults, with the highest percentage of untreated tooth decay in low-income, Black, and Hispanic populations.
- Low-income, disabled, and other eligible adults who rely on government programs such as Medicaid often don’t receive dental care as part of their coverage. While dental benefits are required for children covered by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), states get to decide whether or not to provide dental benefits to adults. Currently, less than half of states have chosen to, with Washington being one of the few who does.
- Low-income and underserved communities, such as those in rural areas, often lack access to dental providers due to geographic isolation and are less likely to have fluoridated water supplies. (Drinking water with added fluoride has been shown to reduce cavities by roughly 25%.) These communities also tend to have lower levels of health literacy, leading to an increase in disease-causing habits such as poor oral hygiene and high-carb, high-sugar diets.
For these reasons, poor oral health can truly be one of the biggest indicators of socioeconomic inequality.
Of course, it goes without saying that those who are disadvantaged typically lack the financial resources to address their oral health concerns, which then only get worse without care. Issues such as bad breath, visibly receding gums, and missing teeth can make it difficult to get a job or move into a higher-paying position. And so, the cycle of inequality continues.
What’s more, oral infections are linked to many other chronic diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. Which means, those without access to quality dental care are at an even greater risk for developing other serious conditions.
What’s Being Done
IDEALS says that “oral health remains noticeably absent from the global agenda on human rights, recent initiatives have attempted to spark a universal commitment to […] the development of oral health policies at national levels.” And other organizations like the WHO have established roadmaps to increase advocacy among policymakers and pave the way for an oral health action plan over the next decade.
Scholars, such as UCLA’s Dr. Francisco Ramos-Gomez, are focused on training the next generation of dental providers to view care through the lens of health equity and human rights.
He recommends utilizing community oral health workers who share the same culture as their target population, particularly for high-risk and vulnerable communities. He also advocates cross-training other medical providers to check for signs of disease in the mouth: “The integration of oral health into primary care using a multidisciplinary approach is the future of dentistry.”
We at Delta Dental of Washington view oral health as a social justice issue and know that prevention is the first step forward.
Through partnerships with providers, policymakers, and local advocates, we aim to provide early education and increase access to oral care regardless of socioeconomic status, because we believe everyone deserves a healthy smile for life.
To see all the ways we’re working to bring oral health to more people across the state of Washington, head over to the Arcora Foundation's website!
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