Dentistry needs radical reforms as oral care was isolated from the traditional healthcare system. Negligence and aggressive marketing strategies in sugar, sugar rich products, alcohol and smoking industries have fuelled an oral crisis. Scores of people as a result are suffering from cavities, oral cancers and gum diseases. Accessible oral care, inclusive of the healthcare systems are required for better dentistry.
According to Lancet Journal, over 3.5 billion have been affected by oral diseases. Oral disorders have become the most prevalent disease condition and their incidence has elevated rapidly in recent years. Little attention has been given to precautionary measures despite their prevalence of oral disorders for decades. Oral cancer is the prime cancer among men and women in India. As per the National Institute of Cancer Prevention, over 12 lakh cancer cases were reported in 2018.
Low economic conditions are affecting the oral and overall health aspects of general public. However, basic dental facilities are not available in low-income countries. Oral care systems in middle-income countries are underdeveloped and unaffordable to the general population.
Dentistry is more treatment-based, dominated by technology and interventionist in high-income countries. New dental innovations are failing to address dental issues.
Over 313 dental institutes are training dental surgeons, 90 colleges produce dental technicians and 54 institutes produce dental hygienists every year in India.
“Dentistry is in a state of crisis. Current dental care and public health responses have been largely adequate, inequitable, and costly; leaving billions of people without access to even basic oral health care. While this breakdown in the delivery of oral healthcare is not the fault of individual dental clinicians committed to caring to their patients, a fundamentally different approach is required to effectively tackle to the global burden of oral diseases.”, said Richard Watt, lead author of the series and honorary consultant at the Dental Public Health at University College London.
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