HEALTHY WORKPLACE: Oral health should not be overlooked

Monday, October 1, 2007 9:28 PM CDT

By Bree Davis

Many employers have seen the cost effectiveness in providing their employees with benefits like health insurance and employee wellness programs.

Employees that have access to affordable preventatives and treatments and take a proactive approach to overall wellness are happy, healthy, more productive, and as a result, cost an employer less money. While many employers have done well in providing these benefits and addressing employee health issues; oral health is thought of as a non-essential component of coverage, and therefore is often overlooked.

More and more research is starting to reveal that oral health is important to overall physical health. Employers that offer dental coverage as part of comprehensive employee benefits and incorporate oral health promotion into employee wellness programs will reap the dividends of healthier employees, decreased absenteeism, higher productivity and lower healthcare costs.

Poor oral hygiene can cause not only periodontal disease and tooth decay, but may lead to more serious health problems and aggravate existing ones. Periodontal (meaning around the tooth) disease, also known as gum disease, is caused by infections that begin when bacteria in plaque cause gum inflammation. When left untreated it can advance into tooth loss.

Problems do not end with tooth loss, however. Research has suggested that these infections in the mouth enter the bloodstream and travel to other areas of the body, putting people at risk for more serious health consequences or exacerbating existing diseases like diabetes or respiratory conditions. While more investigation is needed in these areas, current studies propose that people with gum disease may be at a higher risk for the following:

Heart disease

Stroke

Pre-term birth and low birth weight babies

Osteoporosis

While there has not been a definite cause-effect relationship established between oral health and these conditions, poor oral health indicates that other problems may be on the horizon. People with gum disease and tooth decay often times have poor nutritional habits. Inadequate nutrition plays a significant role in the development of the aforementioned health problems.

Another concern is that poor oral health and the complications linked to it may be the results of lack of access to preventive dental care and other types of healthcare. More than one third of Illinois adults do not have any form of dental insurance. Around 31 percent had lost one to five teeth due to dental decay or gum disease within the past year at the time of being surveyed and 14 percent needed to see a dentist during the past year but did not go because of the cost.

As a result, untreated gum disease and tooth decay may account for missed work days and decreased productivity. The good news is that the majority of periodontal disease and tooth decay is preventable with consistent personal oral hygiene and professional care.

Providing employees with affordable dental coverage and information on oral health will go a long way. Many dental insurance providers have educational materials that they will give to employers free of charge for distribution to employees. For employers that offer dental coverage, it is wise to review it regularly to ensure it is still meeting employee needs.

Oral health promotion and dental insurance are key ingredients to a healthy workforce. While oral health is just one of many factors in overall physical wellness, it can still play a major role in reducing absenteeism and boosting productivity.

Sources: American Academy of Periodontology, Illinois Department of Public Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Delta Dental