Oral Health

Goal

Prevent and control oral and craniofacial diseases, conditions, and injuries, and improve access to preventive services and dental care.


Overview

The health of the mouth and surrounding craniofacial (skull and face) structures is central to a person's overall health and well-being.1,2 Oral and craniofacial diseases and conditions include:

  • Dental caries (tooth decay)
  • Periodontal (gum) diseases
  • Cleft lip and palate
  • Oral and facial pain
  • Oral and pharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancers1,2,3,4,5

The significant improvement in the oral health of Americans over the past 50 years is a public health success story. Most of the gains are a result of effective prevention and treatment efforts. One major success is community water fluoridation, which now benefits about 7 out of 10 Americans who get water through public water systems.5

However, some Americans do not have access to preventive programs.1,2,3 People who have the least access to preventive services and dental treatment have greater rates of oral diseases.1,2,3,4,5,6 A person's ability to access oral health care is associated with factors such as education level, income, race, and ethnicity.1

Objectives in this topic area address a number of areas for public health improvement, including the need to:

  • Increase awareness of the importance of oral health to overall health and well-being.
  • Increase acceptance and adoption of effective preventive interventions.
  • Reduce disparities in access to effective preventive and dental treatment services.

Why is Oral Health Important?

Oral health is essential to overall health. Good oral health improves a person's ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow, and make facial expressions to show feelings and emotions.1,2

However, oral diseases, from cavities to oral cancer, cause pain and disability for many Americans.

Additional Resources

HP2020's National Objectives for Oral Health

References

  1. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General. Oral health in America: A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; 2000, p. 33-59.
  2. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General. Oral health in America: A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; 2000, p. 155-88.
  3. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A national call to action to promote oral health, Rockville (MD): National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; May 2003, p. 1 -53. (NIH Publication; no. 03-5303).
  4. Dye BA, Tan S, Smith V, et al. Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2004, Vital Health Stat. 2007 Apr;11(248):1-92.
  5. US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Oral health: Preventing cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancers: At a glance 2010 [Internet]. Atlanta: CDC; c2010 [cited 2010 March 8]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/doh.htm#aag
  6. US Government Accountability Office (GAO). Medicaid: Extent of dental disease in children has not decreased and millions are estimated to have untreated tooth decay. 2008 Sep. 46 p. (GAO-08-1211).