(By Dr. Joseph D. Lim and Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI)
THE PREVALENCE of untreated caries of deciduous teeth in Filipino children 1-9 years old is 45 percent.
That means nearly half of children below 10 years old had untreated caries in one or more deciduous teeth.
Untreated caries is defined as a lesion in a pit or fissure, or on a smooth tooth surface, that has an unmistakable cavity, undermined enamel, or a detectably softened floor or wall (coronal caries), or feels soft or leathery to probing (root caries).
For permanent teeth among those five years old and above, the prevalence of untreated tooth decay is 29.4 among children, meaning three in 10 Filipinos in this age group suffer from cavities and tooth decay.
The statistics come from a country report on the Philippines from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The oral health status of Filipino children is alarming. The 2006 National Oral Health Survey that investigated the oral health status of Philippine public elementary school students found that 74 percent of 12-year-old children suffer from gingivitis. If not treated early, these children become susceptible to irreversible gum disease as they enter adolescence and approach adulthood.
In general, tooth decay and gum disease do not directly cause disability or death. However, these conditions can weaken bodily defenses and serve as portals of entry to other more serious and potentially dangerous systemic diseases and infections. Serious conditions include arthritis, heart disease, endocarditis, gastro-intestinal diseases, and ocular-skin-renal diseases. Aside from physical deformity, oral diseases may also cause disturbance of speech significant enough to affect work performance, nutrition, social interactions, income, and self-esteem.
Poor oral health poses detrimental effects on school performance and affects success in later life. In fact, children who suffer from poor oral health are 12 times more likely to have restricted-activity days.
In the Philippines, according to the DOH Dental Health Program, toothache is a common ailment among schoolchildren, and is the primary cause of absenteeism from school. Indeed, dental and oral diseases create a silent epidemic, placing a heavy burden on Filipino schoolchildren.
According to the WHO’s Philippines country report, the prevalence of severe periodontal or gum diseases among those 15 years and older is 3.2 percent.
Severe periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation of the soft and hard tissues that support and anchor the teeth. It is defined as a gingival pocket depth equal or more than 6 millimeters, or a Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs, also referred to as Community Periodontal Index score of 4, or a clinical attachment loss of more than 6 mm.
The prevalence of edentulism (complete loss of natural teeth) in people 20 years and older is 7.5 percent.
In 2020, there were 1,561 new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer for all ages. The incidence rate is 1.7 per 100,000 population.
The WHO country report pinpoints three risk factors for oral diseases in the Philippines: sugar (per capita availability of 57.8 grams a day); 23.4 percent tobacco use among those 15 years and older; and 7 liters of pure alcohol consumption per capita per year among the 15 years and above age group.
The availability of sugar in 2019 is based on sugar (raw equivalent), including raw cane or beet sugar, cane sugar, centrifugal, beet sugar, refined sugar and sugar confectionery for national consumption and then computed as grams available per person and day. The data source is the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 2019.
The prevalence of tobacco use includes those who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco). The total alcohol per capita consumption comprises both the recorded and the unrecorded alcohol per capita consumption as recorded by the WHO Global Health Observatory.
In response to these issues, the national health system has come up with policies, measures and resources. These included, as of 2021, the implementation of tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The application of excise taxes and/or special VAT/sales tax rates on these “sin” products are either operational or at the drafting stage.
One of the reasons for the sugar tax is to discourage Filipinos from consuming sugary drinks and to fund more oral care programs.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim, Ed. D., is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology; and Founding Chairman of the Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines, College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate Professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; Member, American Academy of Implant Dentistry and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com./PN
