Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Lack of hygiene, awareness plagues dental health in rural Punjab, study



Dental health no priority for rural Punjab, study
Mouth is health’s mirror - Dr Neha & Dr. Sakshi

Rajpura, April 1,2010

Lack of hygiene and awareness plagues dental health of people staying in rural pockets of the state. In order to address this issue, Surya World – Institutes of academic Excellence, Bapror has decided to carry out a study cum free dental service in the villages around. A series of free dental health care camps are being conducted. A study conducted by Dr Neha and Dr Sakshi, Dental Surgeons, Surya Dental Care Centre at Surya World in the villages of Rajpura has come out with these revealing facts. Rural People have low awareness and poor oral hygiene habits.

They opined that mouth is a mirror reflecting health. Numerous recent studies investigating mouth-body connection have suggested an association between oral health and general health. For instance, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that chronic gum disease may contribute to the development of heart disease.

Study revealed that people do not consider oral health a key player towards ensuring dental well being. “Instead villagers associate dental problems with lifestyle related reasons like improper eating habits and being born with bad teeth - a perception quiet common in rural areas,” they said.

Interestingly, study tracked oral health care products usage patterns in villages and came across the fact that good number of villagers are heavily dependent (37 percent) on non-dentifrice products such as Neemstick (datun), charcoal and ash for dental care.

Surprisingly, 70 per cent of people from sample group had never visited a dentist and meager five per cent visit a dentist regularly.

Lack of awareness can be gauged from the fact that over 60 per cent were unconcerned about preventing or curing dental problems. All this despite the fact that 24 per cent of villagers had suffered from toothache in past one year, 96 per cent were aware of the problem, but only as few as 17 per cent took treatment from a dentist, Dr Neha added.

The study states that respondents were aware of the dental problems they suffered from such as cavities, stained teeth, gum and swollen gums. “But even a higher percentage did not care for such problems,” she while talking to media persons at a free dental check up camp held at village Shambhu today wherein about 135 persons were examined.

Mr. Rajiv Goel, CMD, Surya Pharmaceutical Ltd. and President Surya Educational & Charitable Trust Group of Institutes said, “As part of our CSR, our war against dental ailments among rural folk would continue unabated.” He told that free dental health care facility was being provided to all village folks at Surya Dental Care Centre at Surya World campus, Bapror where excellent facilities exist.

Dr. BS Sohi, Campus Director, Surya World Institutions of Academic Excellence said that in order to mitigate oral problems, it was important to raise awareness level in masses. He said that Need of hour is to combine prevention with curative treatment and involve people from rural pockets in this task.

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