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About National Oral Health Programme
Oral Health
Health is vital for overall well being, growth, development, learning, nutrition,
communication and self-esteem for all. Oral health is a basic expectation of all
Indians.
Poor oral health, untreated oral diseases and conditions have a significant impact
on quality of life. This affects the most basic human needs, including the ability
to eat and drink, swallow, maintain proper nutrition, smile and communicate.
India exposes disparities in oral health, with lower income groups having higher
disease rates, limited or no access to care. Dentist : Population ratio in the rural
areas to be dismally low with less than 2% dentists being available for 72% of rural
population. Statistics present the grim reality, that 95% of the population in India
suffers from gum disease, only 50% use a toothbrush and just 2% of the population
visit the dentist. This sounded an alarm and the need for a blueprint, one that
would be a tool for sustained effort. National Oral Health Programme was therefore
initiated to accurately assess needs, monitors outcomes, decreases disparities,
improves access to care and ultimately improves oral health.
National Oral Health Programme an initiative of the Indian Dental Association
(IDA) affirms that oral health is essential to general health and well-being.
This programme crystallizes IDA’s aim for optimal oral health by 2020. This revolutionary
programme addresses the ‘silent epidemic of oral diseases, which aims at :
- Prevention of oral diseases in school children.
- Timely interception and treatment of oral diseases.
- Appropriate oral health care for rural population.
National Oral Health Card
This unique identification card offers -- a passport for oral health for a lifetime.
Though oral and dental diseases are rarely life threatening, they do impact the
quality of life. Dental diseases are expensive to treat but simple to prevent. In
addition, dental problems can cause severe pain, loss of man days and morbidity.
The National Oral Health Card, the first card of its kind by IDA gives you many
oral health benefits. Wherever you are you can be assured of all-round Oral Health
care.
Different card introduced are :
- Child Oral Health Card – Aims for optimal oral health for future generations.
IDA recognises that kids of parents more to tooth decay or gum disease may be at
higher risk as well. Post examination, children have been divided into three categories
of mild, moderate and high risk. Dental check–ups are made mandatory for improving
oral health which is vital for general health.
- Family Oral Health Card – Addresses all the unique and special oral health
needs of the total family from babies to adults. The card takes the family on a
healthy and safe lifestyle trip beginning with good oral health.
- Corporate Oral Health Card – Ensures convenient access to the best and most
cost-effective oral health treatment. This card helps the individual keep in tip-top
shape as chronic health complications like cardio vascular disease, diabetes, stroke,
Alzheimer, pre-mature delivery etc reflect in the mouth. Early detection helps in
prevention.
- Platinum Oral Health Card – Is targeted at elders as IDA stresses that “Teeth
are for life” and growing old can be beautiful. This card helps maintain healthy
teeth as age advances. Aging reduces salivary flow which results in tooth decay
and difficulty in eating, speaking and swallowing --- thereby affecting general
health and quality of life.
- Special Previlege Card – Aims at extending oral care for disabled and mentally
retarded people. They are more prone to tooth decay or gum diseases and are at a
higher risk. They need special care as oral health awareness is low, poor coordination
of body and require additional access to dental services.
- Muskaan –Aims at extending oral care for rural Indian because Dentist : Population
ratio in the rural areas to be dismally low with less than 2% dentists being available
for 72% of rural population. This card introduces preventive, interceptive, curative
and educational oral health care into the existing dental care system in rural India.
As a privileged Oral Card holder you are benefitted by:
- Online oral status.
- Cost effective check-ups .
- Dental counselling for all oral health problem.
- Individuals can contact our IDA dentist for any oral health problems.
- Treatment results in optimal oral care.
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All India Dental Wellness Initiative
All India Dental Wellness Initiative aims at improving oral health and evolving
an oral health index of the country. This initiative assesses the incidence and
prevalence of dental and oral diseases, spreads awareness about oral health in the
country and comes out with remedial action by forwarding recommendations to the
government to develop a healthy oral policy and its integration with the national
health policy.
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Muskaan - Rural Oral Health Programme
This programme is aimed at rural India because 72% of population in India resides
in rural and only 28% in urban areas. Dentist : Population ratio is at 2% : 72%.
An acute shortage of equipment, material and other essential facilities to run curative
services is seen. People lack oral health awareness, income, transportation and
have no access to treatment. Large segments of the rural adult population are toothless
due to the crippling nature of the dental diseases, this necessitated Muskaan – Rural
Oral Health Programme. This introduces preventive, interceptive, curative
and educational oral health care into the existing system by introducing mobile
dental clinics (on- vans) to deliver care through free-dental camps. Besides this,
Anganwadi and health workers are trained and educated about various dental diseases
through practical illustrations. IDA aims for optimal oral health by 2020 because
oral health is vital to general health and well-being as well as quality of life.
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Oral Health Month
Oral Health Month (OHM) aims at raising public awareness about oral hygiene and
resolving important issues such as tooth decay and cavities, plaque, tartar, bruxium,
gum disease, wisdom teeth issues, dry mouth and bad breath. It aims to help people
understand the cause, symptoms and conditions of dental problems as well as ways
to improve poor habits. It was initiated in 2004, by the Indian Dental Association
and Colgate.
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Mumbai Smiles
Mumbai Smiles spreads awareness about oral health, hygiene and improve access to
oral health care for the common-man. Driving the importance of oral health, ‘Mumbai
Smiles’ is an initiative in partnership with Wrigley’s Orbit, which offers free
dental check-ups and educate families on the need to go for regular dental check-ups
to ensure a good overall health. Mumbai Smiles not only generates awareness but
further reiterates IDA's commitment towards oral health. IDA also made Mumbai proud
by breaking the Guinness World Record by conducting the largest number of dental
check-ups in 24 hours.
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Brush Up Challenge
Brush Up Challenge campaign was started to adopt good oral care habits as many Indians
are not aware of the right technique to brush. Some people use finger instead of
a brush, black tooth powder, tobacco preparations, herbal twigs, etc. IDA and Colgate-Palmolive
(India) Ltd under-took various innovative activities to promote oral healthcare.
In October 2007, a record number of 177,003 people brushed their teeth simultaneously
at 380 locations across India, in one day, at one time. Thereby successfully creating
a Guinness World Record in India for ‘most people brushing their teeth (multiple
venue)’.
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Smile Contest
Smile Contest reflects healthy teeth. IDA spearheads the cause of oral health via
Smile Contest to create an environment towards oral health care and reiterate our
social commitment to serve the community by diffusing the knowledge of complete
oral healthcare to the masses. Smile Contest aims to highlight the important aspects
of oral hygiene and the salient features of preventive dentistry in its efforts
to change the outlook of the common man towards dentistry and oral healthcare. Simple
habits --- such as brushing and flossing ultimately result in a perfect smile. And
a perfect smile reflects your personality, self-esteem and is fundamental for success.
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Live Learn. Laugh. Programme
Live. Learn. Laugh. programme was unveiled in 2006, as a drive for behavioral change
and inculcate good oral habits and night brushing in children. Low-income families
received oral health education on importance of `tooth-brushing day and night’.
Free dental screenings was carried out as many do not have access to dentist on
a regular basis. The project is supported by the Federation Dentaire Internationale
(FDI), Unilever’s Pepsodent brand and IDA.
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School Dental Programme
IDA's School Dental Programme imparts awareness about good oral habits at school
targeted at children in the age-groups between 9 to 14 years. The focus is on inculcating
proper oral health behavior. This the association does by spreading the message
of how brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste can play a significant role
in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Under the IDA's School Dental Programme
activities such as free dental check-ups, distribution of samples of toothpaste
and toothbrushes as well as educational leaflets and posters and large-scale community-
based oral health camps are organized.
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Teachers Training Programme
Training teachers is the most effective and practical solution for imparting oral
health education because children obey teachers. Studies, by IDA has found that
dental diseases have been increasing both in prevalence and severity over the last
few decades. There is, therefore, an urgent need for prevention through primary
education. The challenge is for oral health education information to be made available
and into practice at every home/family and community. Teachers here have an important
role in promoting/improving the oral health of millions of school children, adolescents
and adults by communicating information. The programme curriculum comprises of lectures,
slide presentation, demonstration of correct brushing techniques, interactive sessions
and distribution of informative booklets.
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Parents Awareness Programme
IDA targets parents for oral health education programmes, as they are a child's
first teacher in life and play a significant role in maintaining overall oral health.
Maintenance of good oral hygiene through regular brushing and dental care for both
parent and child will improve oral health and may help reduce the risk of spreading
decay- causing bacteria. Dental decay is a transmissible bacterial disease, therefore
parents should not only receive regular dental care but should not share toothbrushes
with their children. Limit sugar intake as its frequency and exposure increases
the tooth decay. We remind parents that their children learn good oral health habits
by watching them or through supervised brushing. IDA's parents awareness programme
imparts oral health education by educating the parents via lecture and demonstration,
audio visual presentations about oral health. We generate the knowledge that the
child's oral health is linked to overall health.
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