overall health Archives - Oral Health Watch

Study shows poor oral health affects school performance

As children head back to school, policymakers and parents need to be aware of the importance of protecting children’s oral health. New research conducted by the University of Southern California and reported in Medical Daily provides further evidence that dental disease negatively affects the ability of children to perform well in school. The study examined…

The Health Home – An Opportunity to Curb Oral Disease, Improve Health and Reduce Costs

Good oral health is critical to overall health and high quality and cost efficient systems of care must address oral health. Why? There is clear evidence that periodontal disease – a common, chronic dental disease that causes inflammation and eventually leads to tooth loss – is linked to other chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke,…

Washington State’s New Early Learning Guidelines Highlight Importance of Oral Health

Washington State’s recently released comprehensive new guidelines on childhood development reinforce that good oral health is an integral part of a child’s overall health and development. The Early Learning and Development Guidelines are an easy-to-use resource for parents and caregivers that describe key milestones for children from birth through third grade and ways to support…

When Dental Care is Not Available, Costly Emergency Room Care is Only Option

A new report by the Pew Center on the States estimates that preventable dental conditions were the primary diagnosis in 830,590 visits to emergency rooms nationwide in 2009. In most cases, care delivered in the ER will not provide lasting relief. Instead, patients need dental care to effectively treat toothaches and dental abscesses. Without access to…

Good News from Olympia: Proposed House Budget Protects Oral Health

The proposed House supplemental budget protects many essential programs that provide dental coverage to vulnerable populations. Thanks in part to the efforts of Citizens’ Watch coalition and grassroots support statewide, there is a growing awareness that oral health is a critical part of overall health. The House budget released today in Olympia maintains funding for…

Can you catch a cavity? Prenatal dental care can stop a childhood cavity before it starts

Why is Washington’s coverage of dental care for low-income pregnant women so important? When a mother struggles with dental disease, her child has a far higher risk of developing dental decay, research suggests. “Children whose mothers exhibit poor oral health are five times more likely to have oral health problems themselves than children whose mothers…

Dental & General Health Link: Oral Health Can Signal Bigger Issues, WSJ Says

The Wall Street Journal sheds new light on the connection between oral health and overall health in a new story about how signs in your mouth can indicate broader health problems. “Some of the earliest signs of diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, immune disorders, hormone imbalances and drug issues show up in the gums, teeth and tongue…

Help protect dental coverage for vulnerable adults

The Governor’s proposed supplemental budget eliminates all non-emergency dental care for eligible Medicaid-insured adults ($8.6 million).  Pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid would lose dental coverage.  Poor oral health can lead to complications with pregnancy.  In addition, mothers can pass the bacteria that cause dental disease to their babies. Nearly half of all births in Washington…

Pregnant Women Could Lose Critical Dental Care

Washington legislators could take Medicaid dental benefits away from more than 30,000 low-income pregnant women later this month as part of a plan to balance the state budget, a decision that could lead to even higher dental costs in the future and poorer health for mothers and their children. The state Legislature will consider a…

Focus on Seniors’ Oral Health

Each fall, policymakers and advocates come together for the Washington State Senior Lobby conference, this year held on October 21.  As a member of the Senior Lobby, WDS Foundation is a sponsor of the conference and will host a booth providing resources and information to highlight the importance of good oral health for seniors. Seniors…

Arcora Foundation
400 Fairview Avenue North, Suite 800
Seattle, WA 98109
info@arcorafoundation.org
Oral Health Watch does not provide dental care and cannot provide direct referrals. To find dental care in your area, please visit our resources page. Please contact Oral Health Watch for more information about our programs and oral health in Washington State