The Global Impact on Oral Health
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 5th March 2022
It’s well known in the dental profession that maintaining a good oral hygiene routine is integral to sustaining good oral health and to help prevent diseases, such as gingivitis, from developing. Most people brush their teeth twice a day but the ideal homecare regime also includes interdental cleaning as brushing is not enough on its own. However, a lot of people still develop dental diseases and this can be due to various reasons. One factor that seems to greatly influence a person’s oral health is their socio-economic status which impacts education and healthcare access.[i]
The Global Impact
While there have been vast improvements in oral health care globally, there is still a varied amount of dental caries that presents itself worldwide: in different parts of the world and within each country or region.[ii]
Dental caries still remains a problem for most industrialised countries as 60-90% of schoolchildren and most adults worldwide have suffered from this ailment. As well as this, the WHO Global Survey revealed that the percentage of edentulous people over the age of 65 is higher in the West compared to the East.ii Canada and the USA collectively have over 70% of people over the age of 65 whom are edentulous and 46% of the United Kingdom’s over 65s are edentulous. In comparison, countries in South East Asia present far less edentulous people in the same age bracket. India’s 65-74-year olds are only 19% edentulous and Thailand sits at 16%. This implies that the West have more challenges to overcome in tackling oral health diseases and it could come down to the population’s socio-economic status. Sociologists have long studied the reasons for poor health in society, Engels and Virchow determined that poor health and early death was due to “social patterning” referring to class status and the well-being of people being the cause of ill-health.[iii]
Is it Related to Diet?
While factors such as socio-economic status are generally out of one’s control, something that most people can control is their diet. As the West seems to have a much larger proportion of edentulous people than the East, this could well be a contributing factor. ii
There are significant differences in diets in the West compared to the East:[iv]
Serving size: a significant difference between Western and Eastern food is the serving size. Typically, the amount of food served is generally larger in the West which is known to lead to other health issues such as obesity.
Ingredients: Western dishes use far less ingredients than Eastern cuisine. Meat is used in much larger proportions compared to the Eastern diet. Meat is considered to be only part of a meal in the East, whereas in the West meat dominates the plate. Rice is also used with more versatility in the East as it is a staple part of their diet whereas in the UK, for example, rice is usually eaten when ingesting an Eastern style dish.
Seasoning: Each region uses a different range of sauces and seasonings. It would be unwise for any Western food establishment not to stock salt, pepper, and ketchup. Other popular choices include gravy and mustard. However, in the East it is common to use fresh ingredients such as basil, cinnamon, coriander, lemongrass, garlic and ginger just to name a few. Arguably, the condiments used in the East are healthier as they are generally grown from the ground and not manufactured.
As well as this, the West generally eats more food that is high in saturated fat and sugar such as burgers, fries, and steak. Whereas when one considers what someone of Eastern decent would typically eat, images of rice, vegetables, fish, and soups come to mind. In fact, a study revealed that a westernised diet represents a growing health risks[v] as the foods consumed in the West are known to be unhealthy. It’s common knowledge that sugar and saturated fats are bad for people’s teeth. Therefore, the diet of the West seems like a huge indicator for poorer oral health.
The Clinician’s Role
Tackling the oral health issues of the nation is every clinician’s ambition. Thankfully, the continued advancement in technology has made room for innovative solutions. The Waterpik® Water Flosser leads the way as part of an elevated oral hygiene routine. To get to grips with the product and help patients remove more plaque than string floss[vi] you can book a Waterpik® Lunch & Learn. This involves a Professional Educator, who will be a practising hygienist and/or therapist, visiting your practice to deliver an hour of verifiable CPD. The session will include demonstrations of the product, delving into clinical research, and a FREE lunch. What’s more, your practice will be left with its own Water Flosser for you to demonstrate how it works to patients – everyone can benefit from an advanced oral hygiene routine.
Overall, the oral hygiene of people in the West seems to be an ongoing challenge for the dental profession. While clinicians have little control over the class, education, and diet of their patients they can influence their oral hygiene routines and the products they use.
Anne Symons is a Dental Hygienist currently working in a Specialist Periodontal/implant practice and also a busy NHS surgery. She has previously worked in a Max Fax unit, and also taught Oral Health care to staff in Nursing and Residential homes. Anne is also a Professional Educator for Waterpik.
For more information on Waterpik® products please visit www.waterpik.co.uk. Waterpik® products are available from Amazon, Costco UK, Argos, Boots, Superdrug and Tesco online and in stores across the UK and Ireland.
Join the 3,000+ dental teams who have already benefitted from a professional Waterpik® Lunch & Learn. Book your free session for 1 hour of verifiable CPD and a free Waterpik® Water Flosser – available either face to face or as a webinar – at www.waterpik.co.uk/professional/lunch-learn/.
[i] World Health Organization. “Oral Health.” Who.int, World Health Organization: WHO, 2020, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health. Accessed 25 Nov. 2021.
[ii] Petersen, Poul Erik. “Challenges to Improvement of Oral Health in the 21st Century – the Approach of the WHO Global Oral Health Programme.” International Dental Journal, vol. 54, no. S6, Dec. 2004, pp. 329–343, 10.1111/j.1875-595x.2004.tb00009.x.
[iii] Scambler, Graham. “Health Inequalities.” Sociology of Health & Illness, vol. 34, no. 1, 19 Sept. 2011, pp. 130–146, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-9566.2011.01387.x, 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2011.01387.x. Accessed 25 Nov. 2021.
[iv] “5 Major Differences between Western and Eastern Diets | Hpr.fm.” Health Professional Radio, 9 Aug. 2018, healthprofessionalradio.com.au/hellofresh-recipes-generator/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2021.
[v] Statovci, Donjete, et al. “The Impact of Western Diet and Nutrients on the Microbiota and Immune Response at Mucosal Interfaces.” Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 8, no. 838, 28 July 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532387/, 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00838. Accessed 25 Nov. 2021.
[vi] Goyal CR, Lyle DM, Qaqish JG, Schuller R. J Clin Dent 2013;24(2):37-42. Study conducted at BioSci Research Canada, Ltd., 3
