When it comes to male oral health, punning headlines aside, there isn’t very much to smile about.
Men are far less likely than women to brush their teeth twice a day. As for regular check ups, let alone seeing a hygienist – forget it. Only when things become ‘acute’ will most men see the interior of a dentist’s waiting room. As a result of all this, they are far more likely to suffer gum disease and, according to Cancer Research UK, are twice as likely as women to develop mouth cancers. No wonder then that by 72 they have fewer teeth.
If this isn’t bad enough there are two more issues – and ones which HR might potentially have to deal with. First, by feeling they have to ‘man up’ and suffer in silence, many men will be working while feeling quite considerable pain, and so be far less focused on their jobs. When they do finally accept that enough is enough, the treatment required will be far more expensive in terms of the time required to be off work while the problem is fixed.
But worse, as we can see in the statistics for mouth cancers, unless it is addressed, poor oral health can hide much more serious underlying conditions. As well as cancer, the wider health impacts of poor oral health include an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. There is even a strong link between gum disease and erectile dysfunction. Once again, regular check ups can identify these issues before they become far more serious. But unless men are encouraged to book and attend those check ups, the ‘problems’ remain – and undetected.
Changing the male oral health culture
All this is, as we have said, no laughing matter. What’s more, it doesn’t have to be this way. There is no reason at all why men have to feel the need to suffer in silence, with the cumulative impact which this has on work performance as well as their general health and wellbeing.
So what’s to be done?
It does require a step change in the culture which results in poor oral health in men. We need to address the underlying issues which prevent men from taking their teeth and gums seriously. Whatever is holding them back from regular check ups and a visit to the hygienist, these issues, be they questions of time off work or male hang ups about how ‘real men’ deal with pain, employers need to be aware of these and be prepared to address them.
Yes, there are a huge number of issues which businesses need to deal with right now. Many of these have an impact on what finance is available to address what might otherwise be seen as ‘soft’ concerns, such as oral health. But the good news is that there is plenty of help available to help you develop effective solutions.
Bupa, for one, provides a range of support, from tool kits to practical guides, to enable you to offer solid advice to all your employees – and, if appropriate, the dental back up which enables all your workforce to benefit from regular check ups, with all the work-based improvements that flow from such access.
So put a smile back onto the faces of your male employees, and find out more about just what Bupa can do to support your organisation in removing the unnecessary pain and suffering which poor male oral health can cause.
In this month of men’s health awareness, here are just a few of the resources you can access right now:
For your business:
Men’s health toolkit: click here.
Manager’s guide to supporting men’s health: click here.
Manager’s guide to opening up at work: click here.
For your employees:
Everyday tips for healthy teeth: click here.
Dental anxiety guide: click here.
Men's health support page: click here.
To find out more about the full range of dental insurance services which Bupa can provide for your employees, click here.
Ann Stewart is director of dental insurance for Bupa
