Dubai health ministers launch Healthy Smiles campaign
The Dubai Health Authority has launched a year long campaign to promote good oral health and raise awareness of the dangers associated with poor oral health.
The Dubai Healthy Smiles campaign will run for a year and will target mothers and children, as a means of encouraging good oral hygiene habits from an early age. The aim is to encourage parents to teach their children how to look after their teeth and gums from an early age. Teaching children about oral health while they are still very young helps to prevent oral health problems in the future and will cut the cost of dental healthcare.
Ahmad Bin Kalban, CEO of Primary Health Care at the Dubai Health Authority, said that children were going to be invited to oral health screenings across the country. The data will then be collected and analysed to give an accurate representation of standards of oral health amongst children in the country.
The DHA will launch a mobile dental unit at the end of the year to raise awareness of oral health problems and to enable children living in more remote areas to get the dental care they need. Staff working on the bus will also take time to speak to children and their parents about good oral hygiene habits, which will help to reduce the risk of oral health problems.
Dr Tariq Khoory, Director of Dental Services of the Primary Health Care Sector at the DHA, said that a lack of awareness was to blame for the high rate of dental problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease. Initiatives to target children will help to improve standards of oral health in the future and encourage better oral hygiene habits in future generations.
Join this Discussion