Children have their teeth examined at school (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) -Over 90 percent of Vietnamese suffer from dental
disease and 85 percent of Vietnamese children have tooth decay, according to
the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology.
Surveys
conducted by the hospital show an alarming rate of among the
country’s young: 85 percent of children aged 6 to 8 have decayed baby (milk)
teeth, while 54.6 percent in the 9-11 age group have permanent tooth decay. The
number of people suffering dental caries increases in accordance with their age
and the severity.
The rate
of children with severely crooked teeth stands at around 80-90 percent. Experts
said this was due to children’s baby teeth not receiving proper treatment.
The
surveys also found that two-thirds of children aged between 6 and 14 never had
a dental check-up. Worse still, 100 percent of primary school students are not
in the habit of brushing their teeth three times a day.
Trinh Dinh
Hai, Director of the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, said a shortage
of dentists and lack of fluoride in drinking water could contribute to
cavities.
A lack of
professional doctors as well as hesitation to go to see the dentist were the
main reasons for the high percentage of people suffering from , he
said.
According
to the Vietnam Odonto-Maxillo-Facial’s figures, there is one dentist in Vietnam
for 25,000 people, whereas in developed countries the rate is one per
1,000-2,000 people.
Gum
disease and dental inflammation are the most common oral diseases that cause
teeth loss in people over 45, Hai said.
He warned
that if the disease was not treated in time and properly, it would effect
general wellness and appearance.
Statistics
from the health care sector show that the rate of people losing teeth may be as
high as 6.64 per cent for those 45 and older.
Recognising
the importance of oral health care, a dental school programme has been
conducted across the country since 1990, covering all 63 provinces. Under the
programme, schools hold an annual teeth brushing festival day and other
informational activities.
The
Ministry of Education and Training and odontology hospitals have joined
together to raise public awareness of oral health, particularly among primary
school children. However, due to limited financial resources and lack of
professional health workers, the dental school programmes did not yield the
desired results, experts said.
To prevent
the epidemic of tooth decay, adults and children in Vietnam are advised to
brush their teeth at least twice a day, or after meals, and to see a dentist
every six months.
In
addition, special attention should be paid to children’s diets. They should eat
fruits and cereal, and less sweet food.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
