Are Low Literacy Levels Impacting On Oral Health?
The UK’s leading dental charity, the British Dental Health Foundation, has suggested that low levels of literacy are having a negative impact on oral health.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the foundation, raised the concerns following the publication of two studies, which linked two issues related to oral health: dental anxiety and missed dental appointments, with low levels of literacy. The correlation was particularly evident among adults.
In one study, which involved 187 parents and guardians, researchers found that parents’ anxiety was directly linked to their level of dental health literacy, which was also found to impact on their children’s oral health. The second study showed that people who are less inclined to read information about health and oral health issues are more likely to cancel appointments.
Recently, it was revealed that a high proportion of people in the UK have low literacy levels; a survey published by the Department for Business and Innovation, showed that 15 per cent of adults aged between 16 and 65 had lower literacy levels than those expected for children leaving primary school.
Dr Carter said that improving literacy could help to raise standards of oral health, as it can often be difficult for people to decipher and understand technical and medical jargon. He added that it was essential for people to understand the importance of regular dental check-ups and maintain good oral hygiene at home.
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