Exploring the Importance of Dental and Vision Health
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Did you know...
About one in four adults have untreated tooth decay.1
Over 20 million workdays are lost each year due to dental illness.2
Over 90% of Americans over age 20 have had cavities at some point in their lives.3
51 million school hours are missed each year because of dental-related illnesses.4
Researchers have found that people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease.5
Gum disease has been linked to oral cancer, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory ailments, preterm birth, skin diseases, thyroid problems, and leukemia.6
Nearly 10 million kids have undetected vision problems.7
Diabetics who received proper dental care experienced an annual savings of up to $1,674 on medical costs.8
Gum disease can make it harder for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar.9
Approximately 75% of American adults use some form of vision correction.10
Employee vision impairment can decrease productivity by as much as 20%.11
A comprehensive eye exam can detect health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and even brain tumors.12
When oral cancer is caught early, survival rates reach 80%-90%.13
- 1 LIMRA (2009) A subtle shift: Examining employee benefits in the midst of economic uncertainty.
- 2 Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General (September 2000).
- 3 American Dental Education Association: Journal of Dental Education, June 2001.
- 4 According to the American Dental Hygienists' Association (2008).
- 5 Gustin, K. M. (2006, Dec.). Discussing dental.. National Provisioner. 220(12). 26-29.
- 6 "Medical Dental Integration Study" (Study) Optum and UnitedHealthcare (2013).
- 7 CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2012).
- 8 American Academy of Periodontology. (Accessed March 2016). Gum disease links to heart disease and stroke. Retrieved from http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.heart.htm.
- 9 National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse in service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 12-4280. Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your mouth healthy. (September 2014).
- 10 American Cancer Society. (2016, January 27). Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer.
- 11 The Vision Council (2013 & 2009).
- 12 Vision in Business (2007). Medical Benefits. 24(17). 9-10.
- 13 American Optometric Association. (Accessed May 2016). Caring for your vision. Retrieved from http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision.
- 14 According to a study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Optometry (funded by PRIO Corporation and the Vision Council of America).
- 15 According to the report Vision in Business by the Vision Council of America, 2007.