Indian Dentists Keen To Promote World Oral Health Day
Dentists in India are hoping that World Oral Health Day will encourage more people to look after their teeth and gums and attend regular dental check-ups.
A recent survey carried out by the Indian Market Research Bureau indicated that only 47 per cent of people see their dentist for dental treatment, with other patients choosing to seek advice from their doctor or pharmacist or use home remedies.
The survey also showed that almost half of those surveyed do not brush their teeth using a toothbrush and toothpaste, while only 28 per cent of people brush their teeth twice a day, as recommended by dentists. More than a third of people thought that brushing once a day was sufficient and a staggering 65 per cent of people did not know that diet had an impact on oral health.
Ajay Sharma, senior consultant at the Department of Dentistry, Max Health Care, said that the vast majority of people do not take oral health seriously and most only visit a dentist once they are suffering from extreme pain.
Sharma also said that one of the major problems is a lack of awareness about oral health and the importance of oral hygiene and called for the government to build primary care centres in remote areas of the country to promote oral health.
Anupama Dhawan, a consultant dentist at a clinic in Preet Vihar, East Delhi, said that many people are still not using toothbrushes to clean their teeth, resorting to materials like sticks instead, which are bound to be bad for oral health due to the bacteria they bring into the mouth.
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