American College of Prosthodontists Sponsors Ad Council's First Oral Health Campaign

Prosthodontists: Oral Health Habits Honed Early Prevent Dental Disease, per New York Times

CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College of Prosthodontists announces that it is a proud sponsor of the Ad Council's first oral health campaign in its 70 year history, the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives.  

The ACP is committed to educating the public about preventative, proactive simple habits honed early in life. 

"As a prosthodontist, which is a specialized dentist with advanced training in oral health issues, I am concerned that more than 178 million Americans are currently missing one or more teeth and more than 35 million have no natural teeth at all," said ACP President Lily T. Garcia, D.D.S., M.S., F.A.C.P.  "It not only affects the look of someone's smile, it affects one's ability to speak, chew and swallow."

While prosthodontists can fix a broken tooth and create replacement teeth that look real with fixed or partial dentures, crowns, implants or veneers, prosthodontists prefer preventing oral disease. 

The ACP joins the Ad Council and more than 35 leading dental organizations in the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives, which urges that simply teaching kids to brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes, or about as long as it takes to watch a Bugs Bunny cartoon on 2min2x.org, might save your child's smile. The good news is this first step proactively teaches prevention of oral disease at the earliest ages in a fun way.

"As a prosthodontist, I see how brushing twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, getting regular dental checkups and practicing good nutrition such as eliminating the habit of sending a child to bed with a bottle of juice or milk can proactively prevent oral disease in adults and improve patient outcomes such as saving a smile, fewer cavities, less decay and preventing lost teeth later in life," Dr. Garcia said.

The goal of the Partnership is to improve oral health in America and this campaign is the first step in meeting that goal. Ultimately, the Partnership wants to help people understand the critical importance of oral health and its relationship to total health. A single three-year campaign alone will not solve the oral health literacy problem, but this first step is an essential start to addressing this complex issue.

"We are excited about this collaborative groundbreaking dental coalition initiative because as prosthodontists, we often manage the ravages of poor oral health. Our endorsement can only contribute to improving patients' lives, starting with the youngest," Dr. Garcia said.

The first phase of this major literacy effort will be focused on caregivers of children, starting with the basics. Millions of people do not understand even the basic elements of prevention such as brushing their teeth. By starting with certain simple, easily understood messages, the campaign will focus attention on the actionable steps that people can take to improve their oral health. After this initial step, they will be more receptive to other components of total oral care.

There are four basic steps to good oral health: brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, practicing good nutrition and seeing a dentist. The primary goal is to have millions of American children start on the road to good health. By capturing the attention of caregivers, the Partnership hopes to motivate them to take the first step towards implementing a lifetime of solid oral health habits.

"The ACP supports this first big step toward good oral health for all," Dr. Garcia said. "This is a major undertaking for our Partnership and the entire oral health community. Prosthodontists are a vital part of this campaign as we take our first step in the long process of achieving oral health in America."

Prosthodontists have advanced dental training specifically for oral health conditions, including oral disease and restoration of teeth. Prosthodontists are proficient in comprehensive oral health diagnosis, treatment planning and restoration. From helping more than 178 million Americans missing one or more teeth prevent bone loss to rehabilitating full mouths impacted by oral disease, prosthodontists offer comprehensive oral health solutions. Simply put, a prosthodontist has the skills and training to restore optimal appearance and function to your smile.

The American College of Prosthodontists is the professional association of dentists with advanced specialty training who restore and replace teeth to create optimal oral health, both in function and appearance including dental implants, dentures, veneers, crowns and teeth whitening. For more information or to find a prosthodontist near you, visit GoToAPro.org. The American College of Prosthodontists is a member of the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives. To learn more about the partnership, please visit: healthymouthshealthylives.org. 

CONTACT: Carolyn Barth, Media Relations Manager
[email protected] 312.573.8791
GoToAPro.org

SOURCE American College of Prosthodontists