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| Year : 2018 | Volume
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| Issue : 6 | Page : 699 |
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| Noncommunicable diseases and dental diseases |
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SM Balaji
Executive Editor, Indian Journal of Dental Research, Director and Consultant, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Click here for correspondence address and email
| Date of Web Publication | 24-Dec-2018 |
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How to cite this article:
Balaji S M. Noncommunicable diseases and dental diseases. Indian J Dent Res 2018;29:699 |
As the medical world moves closer to the personalized medicine, still the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including dental diseases has not been minimized. The NCDs and oral diseases are an ever-increasing burden. Medical experts identify several remote factors, such as bottled waters and micro/nano plastic pollution, as one of the alluding causes of the NCDs.[1] The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as the NCD-dense region of the world. In this issue, we have a manuscript that deals with the association of the common NCDs with the dental caries (of permanent teeth) and periodontal diseases. This study is not a population-based study. But the strong association between NCDs and oral diseases highlights the need of the deep probing of the strong link, confounding effect of dental diseases with that of NCDs.[1] The common denominator includes increasing sugar consumption, sedentary lifestyle, and altered dietary practices. These synergistically act to produce the burden of the NCD as well as the oral diseases. Yet, the oral diseases/health does not find a priority for the sustainable health goals of the World Health Organization. There is only few directed and focused work in this aspect. More research needs to be directed in this aspect so that the hitherto unidentified health links could be unraveled and used to exterminate the burden of NCD and oral diseases.[2],[3],[4]
On a positive note, medical technology is becoming digital. Machine learning has become a common vogue. With the advent of this to rural and semi-urban settings, medical field is at the verge of learning newer algorithms, faster decisions, and easier screening protocols. Recently, through machine learning, a smartphone application screening for anemia was reported with great success. The protocol, to be used in limited-resource setting to detect anemia, was better than the conventional history taking and examination used by the physicians.[5] Such ideas would prove to be a boon when such innovations involve dentistry. This would be a welcome change. However, the ethical dilemmas and perfection of the technology would be needed.
In the interim period, it is the duty of the profession to eliminate pain and suffering from dental diseases. The whole fraternity needs to work diligently to remove the inequalities that plague the humankind and deliver the best oral health care.[6]
 References | |  |
| 1. | Balaji SM, Seeberger GK, Hennedige O. Burden of oral diseases and noncommunicable diseases: An Asia-Pacific perspective. Indian J Dent Res 2018;29:820-9. [DOI: 10.4103/ijdr.IJDR_812_18].  |
| 2. | Fukai K. Dental and oral health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Prolongation of healthy-life expectancy starts from the prevention and control of NCDs. Evid Healthy Longevita 2016;1:4-5. |
| 3. | Dörfer C, Benz C, Aida J, Campard G. The relationship of oral health with general health and NCDs: A brief review. Int Dent J 2017;67 Suppl 2:14-8. |
| 4. | Low WY, Lee YK, Samy AL. Non-communicable diseases in the Asia-Pacific region: Prevalence, risk factors and community-based prevention. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2015;28:20-6. |
| 5. | Mannino RG, Myers DR, Tyburski EA, Caruso C, Boudreaux J, Leong T, et al. Smartphone app for non-invasive detection of anemia using only patient-sourced photos. Nat Commun 2018;9:4924. |
| 6. | Balaji SM. Indian oral health inequalities. Indian J Dent Res 2018;29:404. [ PUBMED] [Full text] |
Correspondence Address:
S M Balaji
Executive Editor, Indian Journal of Dental Research, Director and Consultant, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijdr.IJDR_895_18
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| This article has been cited by | | 1 |
Non-communicable diseases and oral health |
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| SM Balaji | | Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2022; 33(2): 115 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 2 |
The goal of Journal of Global Oral Health |
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| S M Balaji | | Journal of Global Oral Health. 2019; 1: 11 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | |
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