A new programme is to make US oral health control a top concern
A new strategic programme has been launched in the United States to help monitor and control the rising levels of periodontal disease. The initiative was created through a partnership between the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Oral Health (CDC DOH), and is part of a larger programme that will run until 2014.
The launch of the project came after results of the 2009/10 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES), which revealed that the rate of periodontal disease in the United States was considerably higher than originally thought. The AAP has asked the CDC to check the accuracy of the results in order to use them in the project as a starting point for overall periodontal health in the United States.
The Centre for Disease Control and the American Academy of Periodontology aim to use the project to emphasise the importance of maintaining good oral health as a way to achieving great overall health. Leading periodontist Dr. Alex Farnoosh was quoted as saying; ‘Research continues to demonstrate the link between periodontal disease and general disease… The AAP’s partnership with the CDC DOH is important as establishing a benchmark of oral health is an important step in diminishing overall rates of disease in America. With a bit of luck, increased public awareness will prompt people to visit a periodontist and make gum and tooth care a priority.’
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