With oral disease remaining a serious public health problem in the country, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has led a dental mission aimed at preventing tooth decay among children aged one to three-years-old.
Estrada underscored the importance of oral healthcare, saying dental caries (tooth decay) and gum diseases, if left unchecked, could lead to more serious illnesses and infections such as arthritis, heart disease, endocarditis, gastro-intestinal diseases, and ocular, skin or renal diseases.
“Children at this young age are more vulnerable to tooth decay, so it’s important that we exert efforts to ensure their oral health,” Estrada said during the recent launch of Fluoride Varnishing program at Tayabas Health Center in Molave Street, Tondo.
“We must ensure now that their teeth are healthy,” Estrada stressed, adding that this program is part of the city government’s “from womb to tomb” services to the Manileños.
According to the Philippine Dental Association, Estrada said 78 percent of children under the age of 12 and 97 percent of children aged six and below has some form of tooth decay
In partnership with the Department of Health, the Manila Health Department treated 200 toddlers to a free application of fluoride varnish, a pale-yellow gel applied directly to the teeth that provides extra protection against tooth decay.
MHD Director Dr. Benjamin Yson said scientific studies have shown that fluoride varnish gives added protection to teeth against decay when used in addition to brushing teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste.
Citing a study by the American Dental Association, Yson said fluoride varnish reduces the risk of dental caries to children by about 43 percent.
“Children aged one to three have a 93 percent risk of developing tooth decay so with this fluoride varnish program, we will be able to protect children’s teeth from decaying and developing dental caries,” Yson pointed out.
The MHD chief said Estrada chose to prioritize children of poor families since they are financially unable to avail of expensive dental health services; fluoride varnish application costs no less than P500 in private dental clinics.
Fluoride varnish is now freely available in Manila’s 59 community health centers, according to Yson.
“Caring for your teeth is important to nutrition and, of course, it builds the confidence of the children when they have beautiful, healthy set of teeth,” he said, pointing out that severe dental caries or tooth decay affect the growth and well-being of children.
Since poor oral health in Filipino children is associated with being underweight, addressing the underlying reason—untreated dental decay will help improve the nutritional status of Filipino children, Yson said.
