[ 26 Dec 2008, 0439 hrs IST, Laxmi Birajdar, TNN] PUNE:
Changing lifestyle, addiction and food habits are taking their toll on dental
health. And the fact that they are queuing up at dentists' proves oral hygiene
is not something people take seriously until it's too late.
"About 90
per cent people suffer from some or other dental problems. To being with,
gutka
and
supari
are the perfect nemeses," says
Vivek Pakhmode, president, Indian Dental Association (IDA), Pune
branch.
"Lifestyle changes are leading to patients suffering from
dental cavities, while the correct procedure of brushing teeth has been lost in
translation. Dental decay is very common among the elite class, while gum
problems are typical in people from the lower strata of society," observes
Pakhmode. Diabetics suffer more from gum problems, whereas women, especially
between late teens and early 30s, are more prone to dental problems, as compared
to men. Almost 25 per cent of the population suffers from the problem of
malaligned teeth.
Be it a root canal at an endodontist's, a dental
implant at an orthodontist's or teeth-whitening at an oral maxillofacial
surgeon's, basic dental care is the need of the hour. "A lot of people still
brush their teeth wrongly. They spend a lot of time brushing their teeth, which
results in damage of the tooth enamel. Fact is, one shouldn't brush teeth for
more than a few minutes that too in the direction of teeth's growth," says
Pakhmode.
Brushing the teeth after eating anything sticky or sweet,
like chocolates, is a must. So is brushing in the morning and at bedtime.
Unfortunately,
supari
is aggravating
dental problems. Besides, people from the lower socio-economic strata, even
those from the middle and upper middle classes are consuming
supari
at an alarming rate, he adds.
"
Supari
can lead to mouth cancer,
hardening of the mouth lining for which there is no cure and dental cavities,
among other health issues."
Hence, there's a need to raise awareness
about dental care in society at large. Dental check-ups in the rural areas and
for the underprivileged sections of society, are the ongoing activities of the
IDA. "But, we also want to reach out to IT professionals and those in the higher
income brackets because these people can afford to go for expensive dental
treatments," says Pakhmode. |
