SMILES UNDER MICROSCOPE
Officials take look at dental health
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit wants to know about the dental health needs of adults and seniors.
In order to capture a clearer picture of the local needs, the health unit has created a survey asking about dental health needs of adults and seniors in the community. Residents can fill out the survey online at wedentalsurvey.org or call the health unit at 519258-2146, ext. 3212 to have a copy mailed to them in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese (traditional). The survey is available until March 2.
“This is important because your oral health is linked to your overall health,” said Shannen Janisse, health promotion specialist at the health unit. “Research is showing that poor oral health is now associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease as well as other things like low self-esteem, fewer employment opportunities and higher rates of poverty.”
Statistics show almost one-third of local adults are not getting regular dental care, Janisse said. The 2013 Canadian Community Health Survey by Statistics Canada showed that 35 per cent of local residents 18 years of age and older say they have no dental insurance and that 28 per cent of that group visits the dentist less than once a year for checkups or only for emergencies.
Janisse said the goal of the survey is to understand more about the community’s oral health and issues local residents face in getting care for their teeth and mouth. She said the issues affect everyone from adults and seniors with low income to individuals who have coverage but not enough insurance to cover things like tooth extractions or root canals. Janisse is hoping to use the survey results to develop a strategy to address oral health issues in the community.
“Dental health takes a backseat sometimes when people are having to worry about putting food on the table or put clothing on their kids. Sometimes they neglect themselves because they have other priorities,” she said.
“We are trying to get a sense of how many people don’t actually have the insurance and how many aren’t able to seek the dental treatment they need because they aren’t able to afford it.”
The health unit offers the Healthy Smiles Ontario program, through provincial funding, for children up to the age of 17 from low-income families. But there are no provincial dental care programs for adults and seniors living in low-income families. Programs such as Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program provide some coverage, but they don’t often cover the costs of checkups and cleanings and they involve eligibility criteria.