Oral Health Is…

Oral health is not just absence of disease, but the presence of oral wellness. Oral wellness is when you have healthy gums, teeth, and tongue that allow you to speak, chew, enjoy food, and smile.

Oral health is also being free of mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual's biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial well-being.

Oral wellness affects:

  • Obtaining a job
  • Confidence
  • Enjoyment

Oral pain is linked to:

  • Poor school performance in children
  • Work loss in adults to care for themselves and their children
  • Difficulty chewing and inadequate nutrition

References

Guarnizo-Herreño CC, Wehby GL. Children's Dental Health, School Performance and Psychosocial Well-Being. Journal of Pediatrics. 2012;161(6):1153-1159.e2.

FDI World Dental Federation. FDI's definition of oral health. https://www.fdiworlddental.org/fdis-definition-oral-health#:~:text=Oral%20health%20is%20multi%2Dfaceted,face%2C%20and%20oral%20cavity).