Proclaim™ “Oral Health Insights Report” Reveals Critical Link Between Oral Health and Systemic Well-Being and Fears over Medical Costs, Exposing Problems with Our Healthcare System

Proclaim™, the award-winning leader pioneering preventative health breakthroughs, has released its 2024 “Oral Health Insights Report.” This comprehensive report reveals crucial data pertaining to the oral health habits of American adults and what they know (or don’t know) about its far-reaching implications on systemic health as well as their worries over unforeseen medical costs. It also underscores the urgent need for more education and a stronger preventative approach in healthcare to mitigate future financial and health crises down the line.

A Silent (Costly) Epidemic

Dr. Robert Eber, DDS, MS, warns, “Sadly, many people aren’t aware that poor oral health can cause inflammation that allows untreated bacteria in the mouth to enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. Research shows correlation between this bacteria and serious, debilitating systemic diseases and chronic illnesses impacting the heart, brain, and digestive system. A direct causal relationship has not yet been established, but it makes sense to eliminate bacterial induced inflammation anywhere in the body, starting with the mouth, the gateway to the rest of the body”

Overall, an alarming number of people say their primary care physician does not talk to them about oral health (61%) nor preventative health (32%) on a regular basis. Consequently, many surveyed were not aware of the connection between poor oral health and heart disease (50%) and cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s (77%).

“This lack of communication and education between healthcare providers and patients creates a huge knowledge gap that can lead to serious repercussions, potentially resulting in a large number of the population being diagnosed with preventable diseases,” said Heberto Calves, Proclaim CEO. “Right now our healthcare system focuses so much effort on reactive treatment to medical issues rather than preventing them in the first place, and something has to change.”

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Without a strong preventative lens on healthcare in America, how are adults in this country to deal with hardships down the road? Well, many are worried about just that – 74% agree/strongly agree that an unexpected health problem could wipe out their savings and 61% say they worry about these unforeseen health issues on a regular basis because of the financial implications.

Dr. Eber expounds, “Getting to the root cause of these problems by eliminating harmful bacteria at the entrypoint of the body, the mouth, is one way adults can take more preventative control of their health and wellness outcomes. But, even with nearly half of adults over 30 struggling with some form of gum disease, getting people to floss daily – and to do it effectively – is still a struggle.”

The “Proclaim Oral Health Insights Report” shows a significant gap between people’s beliefs about their flossing habits and their actual practices. While 88% say flossing is important, only 43% actually floss every day. Some (7%) said they never floss or they only do so when they have something stuck in their teeth (10%).

Interestingly, nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents even admit to lying to their dentist about how often they floss, with men being 5% more likely to do so. The primary reason for this? Embarrassment (52%). It turns out, 41% also lie to avoid receiving a lecture.

Common reasons for skipping the floss include: not enough time or too busy (27%), too much effort or lack of motivation (25%) and painful or bleeding gums (17%). Alarmingly, 11% believe flossing altogether just isn’t important.

Knowing all this, Dr. Eber urges, “There’s a good reason your dentist is hard-pressed to get you to commit to flossing – It’s a daily habit that, when not maintained, can have negative, irreversible impacts on the health of your mouth and potentially your overall health.”

The Solution: Purpose through Prevention

Easier said than done, it appears. The “Proclaim Oral Health Insights Report” shows that forming sustainable healthy habits at home can be challenging. In fact, 73% of people agree that even habits that are good for them can be hard to maintain and 53% agree they find it hard to build new habits. Though, most (81%) also say that starting off their day with a quick habit, whether brushing their teeth or making their bed, actually makes them feel more productive the rest of the day.

Not surprisingly, a majority of respondents (68%) agree that habits that take less than 10 seconds a day are more attainable than ones that take longer – 37%, for example, even said they would be motivated to floss daily if it was easier and took less time.

“It’s clear people want easy, time-saving solutions that actually work – and Proclaim provides exactly that, helping people live healthier, longer lives in just 7 seconds a day at the push of a button,” said Calves. “This done-for-you cleaning tool removes the stress, time and frustration that comes from your age-old, typical manual oral care routine. We urge other start-ups in the health and wellness space to continue to challenge the status quo through the power of prevention.”

For more information, please visit www.ProclaimHealth.com.