ORAL HEALTH 

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THE IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HEALTH

Oral health is the practice of keeping one's mouth clean and free of disease.Taking care of your gums, teeth, and mouth by brushing your teeth and flossing can prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath. Maintaining your dental hygiene can also prevent the occurrence of medical disorders by keeping the bacteria in your mouth under control and preventing oral infections.
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Goals for oral health in the United States
Barriers to oral health care
  • ​​Integrate oral health and primary health care.
  • Prevent disease and promote oral health.
  • Increase access to oral health care and eliminate disparities.
  • Increase the dissemination of oral health information and improve health literacy.
  • ​Advance oral health in public policy and research
  • Lack of dental insurance coverage
  • Lack of dentists in area
  • Lack of knowledge of eligibility for public assistance/dental coverage and/or enrollment process
  • Lack of resources for overcoming physical barriers
  • Perception of oral health importance relative to other priorities​

​Although State Medicaid has made significant improvements to low-income individuals and families' access to dental care, despite the limitations of state health insurance, more individuals need dental care. According to the National Association of Dental Plans, an estimation of 74 million Americans do not have dental coverage - nearly twice the amount of individuals without health insurance. Studies from the American Dental Association reveal that more than 90 percent of all systemic diseases have oral manifestations. Americans need dental coverage, however, oral health is constantly left out of conversation during national health care debates. Many Americans are not able to access preventative programs or even have access to state Medicaid. Surely, the people who have the least access to preventive services and dental care have greater rates of acquiring oral diseases and according to recent studies, 51% of the adult U.S. population lists that oral health as their greatest health concern. Our national oral health care system is failing the majority of Americans.

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Taking care of your oral health is a necessity. Neglecting oral hygiene can lead to cardiovascular disease, oral cancers, diabetes, a stroke, adverse pregnancy outcomes, lung conditions, and many more diseases. Since the mouth is the access to the human body, it is important that it is treated with the right care. 
The Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) knows that oral health is vital to overall health, yet there are barriers in place, which, like locked doors, prevent people from optimal health. OPEN won’t stand for this failure to live up to our ideals as a nation by leaving people to unjustly and unnecessarily suffer from preventable oral health issues. They catalyze a network to take on America’s oral health challenges so that everyone has an equitable chance to thrive. They won’t stop until everyone has the keys they need to fully access good oral health.
​ORAL HEALTH ARTICLES
Why Oral Health Matters
http://www.oralhealth.network/
Major National Survey Reveals Impending Spike in Oral Health Needs​
https://www.newmouth.com/dentistry/family/seniors/
​https://www.dentaquestpartnership.org/learn/morecare/phase-one
https://www.dentaquestpartnership.org/system/files/MedicaidReport-Part2_11.7.19.pdf
http://www.politico.com/sponsor-content/2019/12/confronting-the-nations-oral-health-crisis?cid=201912li
justiceinaging.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/...​