Oral health allows us to do many everyday tasks important to living (eating, speaking, smiling). Poor oral hygiene can also lead to diseases, cavities, and tooth loss which can cause pain and affect a person’s health outside of just the mouth. For example, periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gums and tissues surrounding the teeth has been linked to an increased risk of several systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections. This is because the mouth is a gateway to the rest of the body; the bacteria and inflammation associated with periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream and spread to other parts.
The figure below shows the number of emergency department visits per 1000 population in the US. There seems to be a consistent number of around 40-50 per 1000 people who visit the dentist each year; this is no small number. There are probably also many dental emergencies that go undocumented due to the inaccessibility and unaffordability of healthcare.
What is dental health literacy?
The American Dental Association defines oral health literacy as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions.”
Why study dental health literacy? And how does it relate to rural dental health?
Health literacy can predict health outcomes and lower literacy is linked to higher health care costs, poorer health outcomes, increased mortality risk, delayed diagnoses of medical conditions, and more.
A study has found that people whose highest degree attained was a high school diploma or GED have a greater chance of having lower dental health literacy. As seen in the figure below, rural areas tend to have a greater percent population with their highest degree being a high school diploma. Perhaps rural areas may have lower rates of dental health literacy for this reason.
The study on dental health literacy was only a convenience sample; overall not much population level data can be found on disparities between rural and urban oral dental health literacy. While education is important, it cannot improve affordability and accessibility of dental health – other factors that could be creating rural health disparities. More research must be done to determine how much of a factor oral dental health literacy has on the dental health of the rural US.
