CHICAGO – February 9, 2001 – A silent epidemic of oral diseases is affecting our most vulnerable citizens – poor children, the elderly, and many members of racial and ethnic minority groups, according to the Surgeon General’s Report on oral health released last year. The report states that eliminating dental health disparities “demands the understanding, compassion and will of the American people.”
Periodontists have found a variety of ways to improve the oral health of those in need, according to a recent online survey conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). In fact, of the 121 periodontists polled, more than 90 percent said they had donated free dental care to those in need.
About 35 percent of the adult population is estimated to have periodontal disease. “Researchers are finding that this has implications beyond oral health since the bacteria from gum infections have been shown to play a role in heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and preterm, low birth weight births,” said Michael McGuire, D.D.S., president of AAP. “Therefore, we are learning just how crucial dental care is.”
Almost three out of four survey respondents indicated that they donate dental care individually, either in their own practice or by going out to a location such as a nursing home. Some respondents wrote in about their experiences doing dental screenings for participants in the Special Olympics, providing care in indigent countries, teaching proper dental hygiene to the blind or providing free care to their own patients who could not afford to pay.
“I get mental gratification by helping some elderly individuals restore oral comfort and self-esteem who couldn’t otherwise afford treatment,” said one respondent.
A referral to a periodontist in your area and free brochure samples including one titled Who Is a Periodontist and Why Do I Need One? are available by calling 800-FLOSS-EM or visiting the AAP’s Web site at www.perio.org.
About the AAP
The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is the professional organization for
