Brush Them for Your Health! April is Oral Health Month

2013-04

April is Oral Health Month in Canada. It is a time to highlight the importance of good oral health and its role in maintaining one's overall health and well-being. For CIHR, it is a time to highlight the work of researchers from across the country working in the field of oral health.

Healthy smile, healthy body

Oral health involves more than maintaining healthy teeth and gums. It involves the health of the whole area of the mouth and face and includes serious conditions and diseases such as oral cancer. Oral health can affect a person's social, physical, and mental health, and it may be linked to chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

As a result, good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing your teeth daily and seeing your dentist regularly, may not only keep your mouth healthy, it may also play a role in your overall health.

New knowledge, better oral health care

Oral health is an area of focus for CIHR’s Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (CIHR-IMHA). The Institute supports research and knowledge translation to better prevent, diagnose and treat oral health conditions and deliver oral health care services.

Here are some examples of research being supported by CIHR:

Dr. Marc McKee at McGill University is advancing treatments for rare inherited bone diseases that soften the teeth and bones.
Dr. Michael Glogauer at University of Toronto is seeking ways to detect gum disease early to prevent bone loss and the potential loss of teeth.
Dr. Debora Matthews at Dalhousie University is working to improve oral health care services for seniors.

CIHR-IMHA also works with partners to encourage the translation of research into better patient care. In the field of oral health, the Institute collaborates with the Canadian Dental Association, which is bringing research to the dentist’s chair through Oasis, a project led through the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association. JCDA Oasis consists of a suite of resources and clinical tools to help clinicians provide Canadians with the best quality dental care.

For Oral Health Month, CIHR invites you to brush up on your knowledge with the resources below.

Oasis: Guiding knowledge translation in oral health care
A Q&A with Dr. John O’Keefe, Canadian Dental Association.

A rare gem in rare bone disease research
Profile of Dr. Marc McKee, McGill University.

Oral health research reviews

The evidence on several oral health care issues published in The Cochrane Library.

Power brushes more effective than manual brushes for reducing plaque and gingivitis.
Manual versus powered toothbrushing for oral health

Flossing and brushing together shown to reduce gingivitis more than brushing alone.
Flossing for the management of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults

Dental professionals shown to help smokers kick the habit.
Interventions for tobacco cessation in the dental setting

Good oral health habits

Canadian Dental Association’s 5 steps to good oral health.
Oral Health — Good for Life™

Quick Facts on Oral Health in Canada

73% of Canadians brush twice a day.
28% of Canadians floss at least 5 times a week.
Although largely preventable, 96% of adult Canadians have a history of cavities.
21% of adult Canadians with teeth have experienced moderate to severe gum disease.
6% of adult Canadians no longer have any natural teeth.

Source: Health Canada