World Oral Health Day Communique

World Oral Health Care Day is an important event that aims to raise awareness about oral health. Oral health is crucial for essential functions like eating and speaking, as well as psychosocial well-being. Oral diseases, including dental caries, gum diseases, and oral cancer, are common and affect about half the world population. Low socioeconomic status is associated with a higher burden of oral diseases. Modifiable risk factors for oral diseases, such as tobacco use and unhealthy diets, are increasing globally. There is a proven link between oral and general health, with conditions like diabetes and periodontitis being connected. Oral diseases have a significant impact on individuals and families, affecting quality of life and increasing expenses. World Oral Health Care Day was first declared in 2007 and is celebrated on March 20th to emphasize the importance of having a certain number of healthy teeth. The day can be commemorated by inviting dentists or using in-house expertise to p Hello and welcome to this very special podcast on the World Oral Health Care Day. Oral health as defined by the World Health Organization is the state of the mouth, teeth and orofacial structures that enables individuals to perform essential functions such as eating, breathing and speaking. It also encompasses psychosocial dimensions such as self-confidence, well-being and the ability to socialize and work without pain, discomfort and embarrassment. Oral health varies over the life course from early life to old age and it is integral to general health and supports individuals in participating in society and achieving their true potential in life. Oral diseases encompasses a range of diseases and conditions that include dental caries, periodontal which are gum diseases, tooth loss, oral cancer, orodental trauma, pneuma and birth defects such as cleft lip and palate. Oral diseases are among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide which as per the estimate affects almost half the world population. It affects around 3.5 billion people the world around. While the global burden of oral health conditions is growing particularly in low and middle income countries, the overall burden of oral health conditions on services is likely to keep increasing because of population growth and aging. Oral diseases disproportionately affect the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. People of low socioeconomic status carry a higher burden of oral diseases and this association remains across the life course from early childhood to older age and regardless of the country's overall income level. So as a health promoting institution you may try to bring about this awareness, this sensitization about the oral health care per se and most oral diseases and conditions they share modifiable risk factors with the leading non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and mental disorders. These risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets which are high in free sugars all of which are increasing at the global level. There is a proven relationship between oral and general health. It is reported for example that diabetes is linked with the development and progression of periodontitis. Moreover there is a causal link between high consumption of sugars and diabetes, obesity and dental care. When oral health is compromised by disaster or injury general health is also affected. The pain and discomfort which is associated with oral disease making concentrating difficult causes people to miss school or work and can lead to social isolation. Oral diseases have a severe social and economic impact on individuals and families by increasing household expenditures and seriously affects people's quality of life and well-being. So this is all about the word health care. So what oral health aid was first declared in the year 2007 and was originally celebrated on 12th of September which is the birth date of the FDI founder Dr. Charles Gordon. However the campaign was not fully activated until 2013 after the date was changed to 20th of March to avoid conflict with the FDI World Dental Congress taking place in September. The new date was chosen to reflect that seniors must have a total of 20 natural teeth at the end of their life to be considered healthy. Children should possess 20 baby teeth and healthy adults must have a total of 32 teeth and zero dental cavities and expressed on a numerical basis this can be translated as 3 oblique 20 and hence March 20. So FDI World Dental Federation based out of Geneva, Switzerland it commemorates the word oral health care day and as a health promoting institution you can invite one of the dentist who is there in your community maybe the parents of your students or if you're a dental college person you can use your own very in-house expertise to commemorate this word oral health day not just in your own institution but also take this message around the community in which you are located. So this is the Rethink India podcast on the word oral health day. We hope this would really come handy to you to commemorate this very very important and special day out here. Thank you so much.