Mouth and body: new frontiers in oral healthcare

Given our deep expertise and understanding in Oral Healthcare, I see it as part of our ambition to be a lifetime partner for people and our responsibility to help inform them about this important – but often little understood – aspect of health.

While many people know that exercise, nutrition and sleep contribute to health, fewer are aware of the role oral health can play. According to the World Health Organization, oral health is a key indicator of overall health, wellbeing and quality of life. Oral diseases are the most common non-communicable diseases, affecting 3.9 billion people worldwide.

As we learn more about this connection, with a great deal of research still underway, we need to also consider how we can increase people’s understanding of their oral health and support them to adopt good habits.

Access to care is an important barrier that we need to help people address. If you live far away from a dentist, regular visits or making a journey when you have a small issue can be difficult. Digital technology has the potential to change this, personalize solutions and help people connect with a dentist more often than once or twice a year.

The latest development I am excited about is our Philips Sonicare Teledentistry solution. By sharing pictures of their mouth via their smartphone, people can be connected directly with a dentist to get answers on issues they are concerned about or to ask questions following treatment. This service does not replace the in-person trips to the dentist but can complement and allow guided preventative care between appointments.