Oral health: UFSBD wants to achieve a “cavity-free generation”

According to a report of the WHO on oral health in the world in 2022, nearly 2 billion people suffer from caries of the permanent teeth and 514 million children from caries of the baby teeth. In order to fight against this oral disorder, the French Union of Oral Health (UFSBD) wishes to set up a new strategy on the promotion of oral health. According to their press release dated July 21, 2023, the latter was signed “between conventional partners (Health Insurance – UNOCAM/National Union of Complementary Health – Representative Dental Unions)” through a new dental convention. As stated in an interview for Doctissimo, Dr. Christophe Lequart, dental surgeon and spokesperson for the general public of the UFSBD, this conventional signature is “a major advance in the prevention of oral health”.

“UFSBD is delighted with these new measures, convinced, since always, that the best care remains that which can be avoided, with the direct benefit of preserving its dental capital but also alleviating the pressure on the care system. In addition, any oral prevention measure aimed at offering the same opportunities to the entire population is for us a major step forward for a society where equity finds its full place!”, expresses with joy Dr. Benoît PERRIER, President of the UFSBD in the press release.

Goal zero cavities

As specified by the UFSBD “This convention brings with it a real renewal for the promotion of oral health in an assumed strategy of ‘Going Towards’ motivated by the ultimate objective of achieving a ‘cavity-free generation'”. For Dr. Lequart, “it’s not just a price negotiation that takes place between the funds and the union, there is also a real desire to take care of our fellow citizens and to have real preventive actions”.

This new strategy is therefore based on three measures:

• inform the public about the importance of oral hygiene;
• adopt lifestyle habits conducive to good dental health;
• integrate the visit to the dental practice into the annual Health Journey.

“If this generation follows the right oral hygiene and food hygiene messages, it will potentially be a cavity-free generation with as few dentures as possible”says the expert.

Reinforcement of the M’T Dents program

As a reminder, on June 09, 2022, the UFSBD had called on the Government to set up the “100% prevention” system to improve the oral health of the French people as well as their quality of life. This new agreement therefore allows the strengthening of the M’T Dents program on four criteria. Here are which ones:

• The Annualization of the Oral-Dental Examination (EBD) : “From 3 to 24 years old, you will receive an invitation from Health Insurance every year which will allow a personalized consultation with the practitioner of your choice”, explains the dental surgeon. The M’T Dents program previously guaranteed a free oral examination every 3 years for 3-24 year olds.
• Full third-party payment for EBD follow-up care : this system guarantees full payment for care in order to encourage the population to seek treatment following an oral examination where treatment can be a financial obstacle. “All subsequent care, with the exception of prostheses and orthodontics, will be covered in full with 100% third-party payment, i.e. there will not even be a cost advance for patients aged 3 to 24”says the expert.
• Extending EBD Pregnant Women : “the oral health of pregnant women plays an essential role in their well-being and that of their newborn. The oral examination will now be extended from the 4th month of pregnancy until the 6th month after the birth of the child, allowing appropriate follow-up during this crucial period for their future health.“, explains the UFSBD in its press release.
• Valuing early care in the 3-24 year old cohort : special attention will be paid to young people between the ages of 3 and 24 in the context of preventive care. “These early interventions have a significant impact on long-term oral health”specifies the UFSBD. “This convention is starting with a cohort of 3-24 year olds for the moment, but there is a desire to continue the annual follow-ups with a young cohort of 3-25 year olds, then 3-26 years old”, emphasizes Dr. Lequart.

To achieve these objectives, the UFSBD specifies that it is necessary to continue the promotion of oral health through massive campaigns. These will thus make it possible to raise public awareness of the importance of good oral hygiene on a daily basis (the use of fluoridated toothpaste, the adoption of a balanced diet, the annual consultation with a dental surgeon, etc.).

Oral health: adults are not forgotten

As the expert points out, this convention “does not forget the adults”. Indeed, in addition to diabetics, this collective signature will also cover four other ALDs: immunocompromised patients, coronary heart disease, severe ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Lequart adds that a new procedure will also be covered: treatment with silver diamine fluoride. This is a product that helps to stop the development of carious lesions. “It is of enormous interest in polycarious children who are not in the acceptance of care but also in people with disabilities and in the elderly who are a little dependent who are also often polycarious”, says the expert. With this dental agreement, this product will therefore be covered for these people at high risk of caries.

Oral hygiene, a fight between parents and children

Moreover, according to an Opinion Way survey for Y-Brush, 46% of parents say that brushing children’s teeth is a real daily struggle. While these parents ensure that their children brush their teeth well, the study reveals that only 1 in 4 children apply this oral hygiene gesture correctly. In fact, 39% of children go to bed or school without brushing their teeth. The reasons :

• 2 out of 3 parents admit to intentionally skipping toothbrushing when they are late;
• 73% of children find the technique of brushing their teeth (recommended by dental surgeons) as too complicated to follow.

In addition, among the 73% of parents who would like to find a simple and effective solution for their children to brush their teeth properly every day, 66% of them think that their children could perform this oral hygiene gesture with a fun toothbrush.

Finally, 3 out of 5 parents (60%) would like more help in learning the right gesture and subsequently teaching it better to their children. This is why, in its press release, the UFSBD therefore encourages “all dental surgeons to continue their mobilization through its network in actions to meet people outside dental offices” and also encourages citizens to “take advantage of the prevention measures of this innovative dental convention”.

“General health is fully linked to oral health. There is a real interaction between general health and oral health. So you cannot be healthy if you are not in good oral health, and in particular in gingival health”, warns Dr. Christophe Lequart.