Rotting teeth, swollen gums and oral cancers: nearly half the world's
population suffer from mouth diseases, the
World Health Organization said
Thursday.
اضافة اعلان
A new report highlighted glaring inequities in access to oral health
services, saying it badly affected the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
populations.
"Oral health has long been neglected in global health," WHO chief
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, insisting that "many oral diseases can be
prevented and treated with the cost-effective measures."
The UN health agency found that 45 percent of the global population, or
around 3.5 billion people, are battling tooth decay, gum disease and other oral
illnesses.
The report, the first comprehensive picture of the situation across 194
countries, found that global cases have increased by one billion over the past
30 years.
The WHO said that was "a clear indication that many people do not have
access to prevention and treatment of oral diseases."
The most common diseases are dental caries, or tooth decay, severe gum
disease, tooth loss and oral cancers.
Untreated dental caries is the single most common condition, affecting some
2.5 billion people around the world.
Severe gum disease, which is a major cause of total tooth loss, is estimated
to affect around one billion people.
And approximately 380,000 new cases of oral cancers are diagnosed every
year, WHO said.
- Glaring
inequities -
Three-quarters of those suffering from oral diseases live in low and
middle-income countries, the report found.
And in all countries, people on low incomes, the disabled, older people
living alone or in care homes, those living in remote and rural communities, or
minority groups carry a higher burden of oral diseases, it said.
These patterns are the same found for other noncommunicable diseases such as
cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, WHO said.
The risk factors are also similar, with high sugar intake, tobacco use and
alcohol abuse taking their toll.
Thursday's report highlighted barriers to delivering adequate oral health
services, including dentist visits, which often require high out-of pocket
expenses.
This can lead to "catastrophic costs and significant financial burden
for families and communities," WHO said.
At the same time, reliance on highly specialised providers and high-tech
equipment make these services inaccessible to many.
Inadequate information and surveillance also mean that many people go far
too long before seeking or receiving treatment.
WHO presented a long list of proposals to address the problem, including
calling for countries to include oral health services in their primary health
care systems.
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