Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Words: 396
Pages: 2

An important population/public health problem in New Mexico is oral health and tooth decay. “The mouth is the doorway to overall health” is a common slogan stated by dentists and its true as poor oral health has been “linked to endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, low-birth weight in pregnancies, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, osteoporosis, multiple types of cancer, and Alzheimer’s” (Mayo Clinic Staff 2016). If one neglects their oral health, from cavities to oral cancer, it can cause immense pain and disabilities to many New Mexicans. In surveys by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), participants are asked questions related to oral health. These questions include, “how many times an adult has visited a dentist in the past year,