The overlooked impact of the cost of living crisis

Anna Middleton | 13th September 2022 | Comment

Covid pandemic and financial austerity only made health services less accessible

Every dental professional knows that a beautiful smile, far from being simply an aesthetic aspiration or cosmetic goal, is also a crucial indicator of general well-being in the body. Unfortunately, the modern tendency to fixate only on the aesthetic aspects of the smile can often obscure the far more important and compelling reasons for maintaining a healthy mouth.

The direct link between oral and general health has been known for a long-time. Over the past few years, there has been a growing amount of research finding correlations between oral health issues (like tooth decay and gum disease) and more serious conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and even preterm births and/or low birthweight babies.

For example, a 2021 University of Birmingham study found that patients with a medical history of gum disease were at increased risk of contracting illnesses such as depression and anxiety (by 37%), autoimmune disease (33%), cardiovascular disease (18%), and Type 2 diabetes (26%).

Another study has corroborated the link between periodontitis and adverse outcomes in pregnancy. The chewing of sugar-free gum by pregnant women in Malawi led to a 24% reduction in the rate of preterm delivery.

Recently, there has also been interest in the possible connection between poor oral health and neurodegenerative disorders. One study found that dental health …

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.