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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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