Image from “Oral Health and Malnutrition”
The Link:
Oral health and nutrition are closely
linked together, and each one affects the other. If someone is malnourished, it
can cause gum recession and gum disease, which can further lead to
periodontitis, which itself leads to jawbone problems. Not only that, but the
lack of calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus can cause tooth enamel to thin and
lead to risk of tooth decay. On the other hand, if someone is missing teeth or
has tooth decay, then eating can become painful. Thus, someone may avoid
certain foods, or eat soft, processed foods, which does not sustain them
nutritionally (Piotrowski 2019). This harsh cycle stresses the importance of
taking care of our teeth so that we can avoid getting caught up in these
issues.
The Studies:
However, the homeless population
struggles with these health issues more than others. A survey-like study in
Oakland, California found that over half of the participants reported they were
missing teeth or experiencing oral pain. A fifth of them said the pain
prevented sleeping, and almost a third of them reported the pain prevented
eating. Also, half reported that they could not get dental care. This not only
affects nutrition, but it also affects their ability to find jobs due to
decreased ability to speak, and even smile (Freitas et al. 2019).
In a similar study, done in a city in England, had similar
findings to the one above. Many participants reported oral pain, damaged teeth,
and little success when trying to get access to dental care. The majority of
them even reported being self-conscious about their teeth. Even with another
study in London, similar results were found. It was also agreed that dental
care needs to be more accessible to the homeless population (Witton and Paisi
2021).
The Consequences:
Poor dental health and its link to
malnutrition also can come with more problems. One of the first things that
start to go wrong when a person is malnourished is the immune system. As the
immune system weakens, that person will become more likely to get infections,
sicknesses, and other diseases as the heart slows down and wounds don’t heal as
fast (Cleveland Clinic 2022). The inaccessibility to dental care and
malnutrition makes it easier for sickness and disease to spread among the homeless
population. It creates a lower quality of life for the people and the
community.
The Solution:
With these problems in mind, it is
important to know what we can do to help. Donating dental supplies, such as
toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss is a simple yet effective way to get these
resources out there. Donating to local organizations, such as Shepherd’s Door,
can also help make these tools, and more dental care, accessible. Shepherd’s
Door also has routinely volunteers from Bridgeview Dental Associates who
provide dental services. Lastly, donating highly nutritional soft foods can decrease
malnutrition risk while also ensuring everyone can eat it. Things like
applesauce, canned vegetables, peanut butter, canned soup and stews, and canned
fruits do not expire quickly, are soft to help decrease oral pain while eating,
and contain nutrients that can help with malnourishment. Things like this can
help create cleaner and healthier communities.
Want to Donate in the Portland Area? Click Here.
Curious about the studies done? Click for the California and
England studies.
Cited Sources:
Freitas, Daniel J., et al. "Oral health and access to dental care among older homeless adults: results from the HOPE HOME study." Journal of public health dentistry 79.1 (2019): 3-9.
"Malnutrition."
Cleveland Clinic, 4 May 2022,
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22987-malnutrition.
Piotrowski,
Bradley. "Oral Health and Malnutrition." periodonticsnaples,
4 July 2019, www.periodonticsnaples.com/oral-health-and-malnutrition.
Witton,
Robert, and Martha Paisi. "Dental care for homeless persons: Time for
National Health Service reform." Public Health in Practice 2
(2021).
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