Would you still brush your teeth if you didn't own a toothbrush?
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, homeless people report struggles with both carrying and using a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as with accessing personal hygiene facilities. Inability to practice proper dental care increases the risk of related health issues down the line. In fact, homeless persons are twelve times more likely to have dental issues than those with stable housing. In addition, an estimated 44% of homeless children reported having dental-related pains or infections.
Daily tasks such as eating meals can become complicated without proper resources or knowledge for caring for one's teeth. In a Groundswell observational study, 70% of 260 respondents reported having lost at least one tooth since becoming homeless. In another instance, the Journal of Public Health Dentistry conducted an observational study of 350 homeless people, which concluded that over half of the participants had lost at least half of their teeth, reported oral pain in the past six months, and were unable to obtain needed dental care.
If visuals are more your thing
Below are further data from the aforementioned Groundswell study, which interviewed homeless persons.
WHY HERE?
How does this affect Harrisonbug?
Last year, about a fifth of people living in Harrisonburg were living with severe housing crises, and about a quarter were living below the poverty line. As seen in the chart below, the proportion of children in poverty in Harrisonburg had been declining until a recent rise in the past couple of years. Now more than ever, it is important to reach out, educate, and support people and offer tools to prevent further and more avoidable struggles down the line.
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