Promoting Oral Health Awareness in St. Louis
Oral healthcare is increasingly recognized as an indicator of overall health and well-being. In response to this larger wellness conversation, the St. Louis Dental Center has adopted a primary focus to educate local and underserved communities on the importance of maintaining good oral health practices.
Dwight E. McLeod, dean and professor at A.T. Still University’s Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health, who also practices as clinician for patients and instructs students who work at the dental center, discussed the urgent need to bridge the gap between oral health and overall well-being. ‘I think many of us tend to think that the head and mouth are not a part of the overall body, partly because, over the years, medicine and dentistry separated,’ said McLeod. ‘Now, we’re trying to restitch the head back to the neck. We know that what goes on in the mouth can affect overall health.’
The Importance of Oral Health Practices
Neglect or a lack of access to care for the mouth and teeth can lead to inflammation and swelling of the gums, commonly known as gingivitis. In more advanced stages, this can progress to periodontal disease. McLeod explained that this bad bacteria produces toxic substances that can lead to leaky blood vessels, allowing bacteria to enter the bloodstream and affect distant organs, such as the heart, kidney, lung, or brain.
A diet lacking in vitamin C, which leads to collagen degeneration, can further exacerbate health issues. ‘Some of us have poor nutrition,’ stated McLeod. ‘We eat a lot of foods with high cholesterol, so you have that plaque that builds up in the artery. Bacteria can get from the mouth and colonize the plaque, leading to severe health complications.’
Addressing Community Health Challenges
The St. Louis Dental Center offers a full scope of specialty care including extraction of wisdom teeth, root canals, dental implants, and full mouth rehabilitation at affordable fees. They are committed to improving access to care by extending outreach to schools, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and assisted living facilities. To ensure accessibility, interpretation services are available in over 57 languages.
McLeod remarked, ‘We might see somebody who is so severely impacted that they won’t even let you look in their mouths. Those poor individuals are in pain, and my heart goes out to them. That’s why we’re intentional about setting up these programs to make sure that their needs are addressed.’
Commitment to Education and Future Generations
In addition to providing care, the center is dedicated to educating and supporting those who wish to pursue careers in dentistry. ‘Not only do we want to have patients treated, we want students here in the community to see that they too can become dentists and make a difference in their community,’ said McLeod.
While the St. Louis Dental Center provides various programs for the community, McLeod emphasizes that good oral health should predominantly be maintained at home through proper care practices. ‘Good oral health should be like a birthright, something that’s handed down in the family unit,’ he said. ‘The emphasis must be there, just like some families will emphasize a good education.’
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