Starting on March 25th, under the slogan; “Healthy Mouth Healthy Body”
Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) , the region’s first dedicated center that aim to promote the physical, mental and social wellbeing of Abu Dhabi’s population by raising public awareness around prevention and early identification, has announced the launch of a series of impactful initiatives in collaboration with the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) and the Department of Education and Knowledge - Abu Dhabi (ADEK) on the occasion of Gulf Oral and Dental Health Week, in tune with the period of the World Oral Health Day.
The initiative shall include a number of school visits and interactive workshops that aim to instill awareness and educate children about oral and dental health. The initiatives will be supported by online and social media campaigns themed around “Choosing Prevention”.
A number of school visits will take place during which ADPHC will deliver interactive educational workshops for children, using models, puzzles and other forms of child engagement. In addition, and to further strengthen the reach, ADPHC will disseminate a series of cartoon episodes created lately, featuring “Mansour”, the famous Emirati cartoon character, in the schools and other who will help guide children around home oral and dental care practices, in addition to shedding light on the importance of routine dental checkups and the application of preventive measures in the dental clinic. Moreover, additional episodes addressed dental trauma during sports with emphasis on the importance of using mouthguards as appropriate, and another episode that spotlight on the bullying that happens among school children as a result of the varying tooth shapes, in an aim to raise awareness and normalize the fact that people have different teeth.
H.E. Dr. Omniyat Al Hajri, Executive Director of Community Health at Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, said: "Gulf Oral and Dental Health Week, represents an opportunity to renew our commitment for the importance of maintaining excellent oral health practices, and integrate the program with other health programmes aimed at fighting chronic diseases. Dental and Oral diseases can be prevented and reduced by taking simple preventive measures applied at home and in dental clinics, which are guaranteed to be cost-effective and can be achieved in a small period of time compared to the cost and duration of treatment when things go wrong.”
Her Excellency added: “Per empirical research, most oral diseases and conditions share modifiable risk factors with the leading noncommunicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes). These risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets high in free sugars, all of which are increasing at the global level. There is a proven relationship between oral and general health. It is reported, for example, that diabetes is linked with the development and progression of periodontitis- gum disease. Moreover, there is a causal link between high consumption of sugars and diabetes, obesity and dental caries.”
The week kicks off on March 28th under the theme "Healthy Mouth Healthy Body" and under this year's sub-theme: "Make prevention a Mindset."
Important tips for healthy oral health:
- Enjoy having a balanced low-sugar diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and consider water as your main drink.
- Stop all forms of tobacco use, and seek help from specialists.
- Ensure getting enough fluoride, as it is a key factor in preventing tooth decay, using toothpaste containing fluoride at 1000 to 1500 ppm
- Brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes using a soft brush.
- Visit the dentist at least once a year. This applies to all members of the community of different age groups, including toddlers whose parents are encouraged to make the first visit with the eruption of the first tooth.
- Use protective mouth equipment when exercising.
