The Challenge
A Silent Epidemic
The U.S. Surgeon General called oral disease a "silent epidemic" because it is an enormous though largely unrecognized problem.
- It is an infectious, progressive disease, which impacts a significant percentage of our population, especially children and seniors.
- It has been linked to diabetes, heart disease and other long-term health problems.
- It can affect a child's school performance.
It is also a disease that is almost entirely preventable.
In the critical area of prevention, Washington State received an "F" based on a comprehensive nationwide oral health survey funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The grade is unlikely to improve without effective policies for preventing oral disease. A major reason Washington State failed is because only about half of our state's almost 6 million residents have access to fluoridated water.
