THE FOURTH United Nations High Level Meeting (HLM4) on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) will take place on September 25 this year in New York.
Heads of states and governments will assess the progress made since the Third HLM in 2018 and this time will set the vision to prevent and control NCDs towards 2030 and 2050. It will be a unique opportunity to include oral health in the global agenda.
In the months leading to HLM4, and in partnership with the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Researchf (IADR), the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) is mobilizing commitments to advance oral health.
For a start, the FDI and the IADR are calling for financing for oral health research. They are also calling for governments to develop and implement oral health policies aligned with the World Health Organizationās (WHO) Global Oral Health Action Plan (2023ā2030).
They are calling on governments to include essential, safe, quality, and affordable oral healthcare services into the benefit packages of Universal Health Care (PhilHealth to Filipinos).
Oral health education as well as quality, affordable and essential dental medicines and preparations, especially fluoride toothpaste, should also be part of the oral health landscape.
The FDI and the IADR believe that oral diseases, the risk factors, and the public health measures needed for their prevention and management should be recognized by governments. For example, governments should be aware and should address the role of sugars as a major contributor to unhealthy diets and poor oral health.
Governments should prioritize as well the phasing down of dental amalgam that use mercury long recognized to be unsafe.
āIf advocates can voice the same key messages and recommendations to policymakers worldwide, we can amplify our impact and move closer to ensuring that oral health is integrated into NCD and broader health policies and prioritized on national and global agendas,ā the FDI and IADR declare.
The urgency of their declaration is understandable, considering that almost half of the worldās population suffer from oral diseases.
Oral diseases can be prevented and treated in their early stages. However, according to the WHO, untreated tooth decay continues to affect 2.5 billion people. Severe gum disease affects 1 billion people.
Complete tooth loss affects 350 million people. Oral cancer impacts on the well-being of 380,000 people worldwide.
Oral diseases affect about 3.7 billion people globally. When combined, the estimated number of cases of oral diseases globally is about 1 billion higher than cases of all the five major noncommunicable diseases (mental and neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic respiratory diseases and cancers). Indeed, oral diseases are among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases.
As it is, according to the FDI and the IADR, oral health is a basic human right but one that is enjoyed by all too few.
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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; and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com/PN
