Oral diseases, a public health problem

Abstract

Oral diseases affect the physical, biological, psychological and social health of people. The treatment of complications due to oral diseases is expensive and represents a large expense for society's economy. Damage to health from oral diseases affects work productivity, school performance, social and interpersonal relationships, the ability to socialize, quality of life and well-being. For all of the above, oral diseases are considered a public health problem worldwide, because they affect around 3.5 billion people. Fortunately, oral diseases are preventable if you have adequate oral hygiene and access to oral health services that allow timely detection and adequate treatment. In addition to clinical care, oral health services should focus on reducing the following risk factors for oral diseases: smoking, alcoholism, overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, excessive consumption of sugary drinks and foods rich in sugar.