Our military troops have to combat many things — rigorous training in boot camp, weather extremes in overseas locations, and dangerous military operations. Of all the things troops might have to worry about, healthy teeth might not seem to rank high on the list.
But according to Col. Dr. Robert Hale, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and commander of the Commander of the Army’s Dental and Trauma Research Detachment, the U.S. spends more than $100 billion a year in dental services. Put another way, of all disease related (non-battle related) injuries that require soldiers to be evacuated from duty, more than 10 percent are from dental emergencies.
So it makes sense that scientists put years of research into developing “Combat Gum,” a specially-designed chewing gum that works to reduce plaque and tooth decay. Originally developed for troops deployed in areas without running water, researchers at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research realized that the need reached far beyond just those troops.
While Combat Gum might be a great achievement for the military, civilians should be paying attention, too. Around 40% of Army recruits enter the military with at least three cavities. This means that these dental problems are occurring before recruits even enlist.
So even if you’re not thinking about joining the military, you should definitely consider taking the importance of dental health seriously. Dakota Dental, an Apple Valley dental clinic, will work with you to give you healthy teeth. Dakota Dental excels at preventive dental care and wants to ensure that everyone, from civilians to people in active duty to veterans, are taking care of their teeth.
Contact Dakota Dental to book an appointment with their Apple Valley dentists and take full advantage of their professional dental services.