The American Dental Hygienists’ Association to Focus on Tobacco Use, Heart Disease and Oral Health for 2005 National Dental Hygiene Month

Chicago—August 15, 2005—The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) announced today that in response to the staggering oral and general health statistics related to tobacco use that continue to afflict this country it will focus on the relationship between oral health, tobacco use, and heart disease for National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM) this October.

Nearly one-third of all coronary heart disease (CHD)-related deaths in the United States are attributed to cigarette smoking, the number one preventable risk factor contributing to the morbidity and mortality of CHD sufferers. In fact, smoking-caused heart disease results in more deaths annually than smoking-caused lung cancer. Statistics like these prompted ADHA to continue its focus on tobacco-related health issues this year. The 2004 NDHM focus was on tobacco cessation interventions initiated by dental hygienists.

“Following the positive reception we received last year from dental hygienists in response to tobacco cessation, we were inspired to again highlight the hazards of tobacco use,” said Katie L. Dawson, RDH, BS, ADHA president. “Dental hygienists are the frontline of defense against oral disease, and they have a responsibility to educate their patients about how tobacco use and heart disease are interrelated with oral health.”

ADHA is encouraging dental hygienists across the country to get involved NDHM this October to increase public awareness of tobacco-related risk factors, especially the heightened risk of heart disease and the harmful effects on oral health.

For fact sheets about this topic and other oral health issues, visit http://www.adha.org/media or to read about ADHA’s Ask. Advise. Refer. program, ADHA's national Smoking Cessation Initiative designed to promote cessation intervention by dental hygienists, visit http://www.askadviserefer.org.

ADHA is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of more than 120,000 dental hygienists across the country. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. For more information about ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit ADHA at http://www.adha.org.

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