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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – OAK BROOK, Ill. (November 4, 2014) – Americans know there is a general connection between oral health and overall health, but many aren’t aware of specific connections. That’s one of the findings of the Delta Dental Oral Health and Well-Being Survey1announced today.
More than eight of 10 Americans (83 percent) believe there is a connection between oral health and overall health. Although studies have demonstrated that there is an association between periodontal (gum) disease and several common diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, a recent Delta Dental survey of adults found that only 55 percent believe there is an association between gum disease and heart disease, and only 44 percent believe there is a connection between gum disease and diabetes.
“Habits like smoking or a poor diet, as well as your genetic makeup, can have health effects throughout your body. So it only makes sense that what is happening in the mouth may mirror what is occurring in the rest of the body,” says Dr. Bill Kohn, DDS, Delta Dental Plans Association’s vice president of dental science and policy. “As former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop used to say, ‘You can’t be healthy without good oral health.'”
Oral Health for Oral Health’s Sake
In addition to connections between oral health and overall health, having a healthy mouth is critical for daily activities such as eating, talking, kissing and singing.
Through one of the lighter topics addressed in the survey, Delta Dental found that more than half of both men and women would miss eating the most if they lacked good oral health. Talking was number two on the women’s list – and kissing was number two for men. Younger adults ages 18 to 24 also would miss kissing second-most. “Keep your oral health strong, however, and you don’t have to choose,” Kohn says.
For more results from the Delta Dental Oral Health and Well-Being Survey, visitdeltadental.com.
About Delta Dental Plans Association
The not-for-profit Delta Dental Plans Association (deltadental.com), based in Oak Brook, Ill., is the leading national network of independent dental service corporations. It provides dental benefits programs to more than 62 million Americans in more than 114,000 employee groups throughout the country. For more oral health news and information from Dr. Bill Kohn and DDPA, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Twitter.
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