State-of-the-art: New paediatric dentistry department opens
Study finds most children do not brush teeth.
Study finds most children do not brush teeth.
ISLAMABAD:
A state-of-the-art paediatric dentistry department recently established at Islamabad Medical and Dental Hospital is a first for the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The department will also cater patients from Azad Kashmir, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Islamabad Institute of Dental Education & Allied Sciences (IIDEAS) Project Director Dr Khursheed Ahmed said the department has been set up to provide dental treatment to children aged between two and 12 years of age.
Every day, over 25 children are treated at the department. “Special arrangements have been made to provide dental treatment to children with all forms of disabilities and a senior surgeon was trained in India to treat the children,” he said.
Ahmed said 97 per cent of Pakistani children have dental problems and limited availability of paediatric dentists means children are taken to general dental surgeons, or go untreated.
“Lack of awareness and the absence of a national public health plan on oral hygiene and dental care policy leave many issues unaddressed.”
People do not know that there is a need to provide a comfortable environment to children so that they don’t feel scared while going through dental treatment, Dr Ahmed said.
“The new department has been decorated with colourful posters and paintings, while there are also toys available for children to help them feel comfortable while undergoing treatment.”
Meanwhile, the Islamabad Dental and Medical College has started a survey on oral hygiene and dental care in private and public schools in Islamabad and Bhara Kahu. The survey was started in February this year and it is still ongoing.
So far 12,000 children aged between five and 12 years have been checked, almost all of whom have some sort of dental problem. Around 95 per cent children studying in private schools brush their teeth in the morning, but only 10 per cent do so at night. On the other hand, only eight to 10 per cent of children from public schools brush their teeth at all.
In addition, children with disabilities were found to have numerous dental problems including bleeding gums. “We try to educate parents of children with disabilities to pay special attention towards their oral hygiene and to support this we show them documentaries,” said Dr Ahmed.
“Parents should discourage their children from having food which is bad for their teeth and ensure that children brush their teeth twice a day.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2013.
A state-of-the-art paediatric dentistry department recently established at Islamabad Medical and Dental Hospital is a first for the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The department will also cater patients from Azad Kashmir, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Islamabad Institute of Dental Education & Allied Sciences (IIDEAS) Project Director Dr Khursheed Ahmed said the department has been set up to provide dental treatment to children aged between two and 12 years of age.
Every day, over 25 children are treated at the department. “Special arrangements have been made to provide dental treatment to children with all forms of disabilities and a senior surgeon was trained in India to treat the children,” he said.
Ahmed said 97 per cent of Pakistani children have dental problems and limited availability of paediatric dentists means children are taken to general dental surgeons, or go untreated.
“Lack of awareness and the absence of a national public health plan on oral hygiene and dental care policy leave many issues unaddressed.”
People do not know that there is a need to provide a comfortable environment to children so that they don’t feel scared while going through dental treatment, Dr Ahmed said.
“The new department has been decorated with colourful posters and paintings, while there are also toys available for children to help them feel comfortable while undergoing treatment.”
Meanwhile, the Islamabad Dental and Medical College has started a survey on oral hygiene and dental care in private and public schools in Islamabad and Bhara Kahu. The survey was started in February this year and it is still ongoing.
So far 12,000 children aged between five and 12 years have been checked, almost all of whom have some sort of dental problem. Around 95 per cent children studying in private schools brush their teeth in the morning, but only 10 per cent do so at night. On the other hand, only eight to 10 per cent of children from public schools brush their teeth at all.
In addition, children with disabilities were found to have numerous dental problems including bleeding gums. “We try to educate parents of children with disabilities to pay special attention towards their oral hygiene and to support this we show them documentaries,” said Dr Ahmed.
“Parents should discourage their children from having food which is bad for their teeth and ensure that children brush their teeth twice a day.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2013.