You have heard the old Ben Franklin adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Well that is precisely what the American Dental Association is seeking to put into action, to educate the importance of disease prevention. Tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented with regular care, which costs less in the long run than procedures to fix cavities or worse. Read on to learn more, and thanks for visiting us at Advanced Endodontics of Lakewood, OH.
The most cost-effective way to ensure optimal dental health in children and adults is through prevention, education and behavioral modifications, the Association said in a disease prevention paper posted online Jan. 24. This is the first of two newly named Action for Dental Health papers that will address the importance of disease prevention.
ADA President Dr. Charles H. Norman III introduced the ADH paper, Bringing Disease Prevention into Communities, as a renamed continuation of the ongoing series of Breaking Down Barriers to Oral Health for All Americans statements on workforce, finance and safety net topics. All the reports including the first prevention paper are posted at ADA.org.
“Disease prevention is the object of increasing focus in all of health care and holds the greatest promise for continued success,” Dr. Norman said. “The two most prevalent dental pathologies—tooth decay and gum disease—are almost entirely preventable. Education about the dangers of tobacco and alcohol use can, by leading to behavioral changes, help prevent oral cancer. For patients with oral cancers, early detection yields a much greater survival rate than those whose disease has progressed undetected. Significant facial trauma can be prevented with the use of mouth guards and other protective equipment in recreational sports.”
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