Find Out How You Can Help Older Adults Have Good Oral Health - Before Painful and Costly Oral Problems Develop, Prevention Can Work.
Take Action to Improve Seniors Oral Health!
· Ask your legislator to support cost-effective oral disease prevention.
· Check with your local water district to determine if you tap water is fluoridated. If not, support fluoridation in your community.
· Ask your physician and dentist about steps you can take to prevent oral disease especially if you have diabetes or another chronic condition.
· Ask your pharmacist if any of your prescriptions cause dry mouth - and what can be done to lessen that problem.
· Raise this issue at your local senior center and offer to provide more information.
· Write letters to the newspaper expressing support for oral health and disease prevention.
Listen to our Latest Radio Spots
See our TV spot and Seniors link!
Watch the current TV advertising sponsored by Citizen's Watch for Oral Health:
Seniors TV Spot (4,244Kb - Windows Media File) Seniors Radio Spot (943 Kb - Mp3 File)Seniors Oral Health Tacoma News Tribune Article
Keep Kids Healthy to Keep Them Learning - Help Fight Children's Dental Disease and Obesity.
See our nutrition link!
Oral disease is a significant health problem in Washington.
Despite the fact that it is almost entirely preventable, oral disease is increasing in Washington state, especially among children and seniors.
- Oral disease is the most common, chronic disease of early childhood - 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.
- Washington's one-year-olds are five times as likely, and its two-year-olds are more than twice as likely, as children nationwide to have dental decay.
- 1 in 4 adults over the age of 65 have severe periodontal disease which is linked with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Many more have cavities, especially in the roots of the teeth.
- Nearly 80 percent of seniors have no dental insurance, making it more difficult for them to pay for preventive and treatment services.
You're not healthy if your mouth is not healthy
The U.S. Surgeon General has called oral disease a silent epidemic. He has urged states to make oral health a community priority, and to do more to protect the oral health and the overall health of residents. The Surgeon General also emphasized the need to change perceptions regarding oral health and disease so that oral health becomes an accepted component of general health.
Oral disease is infectious, progressive and often painful. Poor oral health has been linked to diabetes, heart disease and other long-term health problems. Poor oral health among children has been related to poor performance in school, poor social relationships and less success in later life.
Oral health is an integral part of overall health, yet in our state not enough is being done to prevent oral disease and improve oral health.
Citizens' Watch for Oral Health - making oral health a priority
The Citizens' Watch for Oral Health was formed to respond to the Surgeon General's challenge to make oral health a priority.
The objectives of the Citizens' Watch are to:
- Ensure that oral health is viewed as an important health issue
- Identify opportunities to prevent oral disease and to advocate for increased prevention
- Engage a powerful constituency to support policies to improve oral health
We need your help to prevent oral disease
Individuals and organizations can help improve oral health in Washington. Find out how you can help make a difference.
