Tooth decay on rise, says WHO

FIVE billion people worldwide suffer from tooth decay, with many failing to realise that caring for your mouth can lead to a longer, better life, the UN health agency said.

“Poor oral health can have a profound effect on general health and the quality of life,” Dr Poul Erik Petersen, co-ordinator of the World Health Organisation’s Global Oral Health Programme, said.

“The experience of pain, endurance of dental abscesses, problems with eating, chewing and missing, discoloured or damaged teeth, has a major impact on people’s daily lives and well-being,” he said.