From Halloween Onwards, Your Dental Health Is Important

Halloween is only two days away from now and there is no dispute that many will be devouring candy -- chocolate, Sour Patch, Nerds, Laffy Taffy -- to their heart’s content. Globally, people all over the world purchase hundreds of millions of candy and every time someone chews and swallows those bouts of sugary goodness, something happens within the mouth. According to the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry,  “Sugary foods are obvious sources of plaque (...) The dental plaque created from bacteria also produces substances that irritate the gums, making them red, sensitive, and susceptible to bleeding. If the gums are not treated, the bone around the teeth can be destroyed and teeth may become loose or have to be removed.” The obvious way to prevent it is to brush your teeth and ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned because while you may or may not have health coverage, there are people who are not so lucky.

Dental care is no less important than the rest of your body; it is often seen as second or third most important, but even if it can never be first (the body should be focused on) it ought to never be last. Fortunately for many people, they are able to afford the luxuries of toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and, most importantly, a dentist. Unfortunately for some, they are left with the bare minimum. Within the United States, approximately 64.9 percent of adults aged eighteen and over made a dental visit in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also informs us that from 2013-2016, children ages 5-19 years with untreated dental caries reached 16.9% and adults ages 20-44 with untreated dental caries reached 31.6%. While the number is not the majority, the facts speak that there ought to be a reason these individuals are not receiving the dental care they require. According to the National Association of Dental Plans, at year-end 2016, there were approximately 249.1 million Americans or 77 percent of the population with dental benefits. Truly there are many with coverage, but that does not mean there are those who are not. But even though there are millions covered, there is a handful that face barriers that prevent them from receiving the care that they need such as transportation, child care, and many other restrictions that one may think of.

Sources:

[1] “The True Story of Why You Get Cavities, According to a Billion Microbes | University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry.” UIC College of Dentistry, 29 Mar. 2017, dentistry.uic.edu/patients/cavity-prevention-bacteria%20.

[2] “FastStats.” Oral and Dental Health, 2020, www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/dental.htm. National Association of Dental Plans

[3] “Dental Benefits Basics - Who.” National Association of Dental Plans, www.nadp.org/Dental_Benefits_Basics/Dental_BB_1.aspx. Accessed 30 Oct. 2020.