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16 ORAL HEALTH Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | 3/2017 Interview: "... Dubai Health Authority strives on the values of community wellbeing..." By Dental Tribune MEA / CAPPmea During this years' World Oral Health Day, Dental Tribune MEA had an opportunity to talk to Dr. Hamda Sultan Al Mesmar, Director of Den- tal Services Department at Dubai Health Authority's Primary Health- care Sector. Could you please tell us why Dubai Health Authority is in- volved in World Oral Health Day and why is it so important for Dubai? The dental services department at Dubai Health Authority identifi es the need of enhancing awareness amongst school-going children to reduce the prevalence of caries. The World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is one of the many platforms we use to educate the public on the impor- tance of good oral hygiene. In addition, World Oral Health Day is celebrated globally every year on 20th March. It is an international day to celebrate the benefi ts of a healthy mouth and to promote awareness of oral health. What was the main focus of WOHD at GEMS Wellington College? 20th of March marks the world oral health day and, as children are the main target, GEMS Wellington had a multicultural perspective and inter- est on our goal to educate. Children received dental screenings in our fully-equipped mobile dental van along with an educational ses- sion, focusing on the importance of dental hygiene and a healthy diet. How can dentists in Dubai increase their own involve- ment with WOHD? The dental services department at Dubai Health Authority has the op- portunity to collaborate with Dubai dentists during events such as the World Oral Health Day. Everyone in the dental health profession can make a difference to reduce the prev- alence of caries in the Emirate. Is there enough awareness amongst students in Dubai on oral health, or overall well- being? There is a need to increase awareness amongst students within the Emir- ate. Based on the survey done by the dental services department in 2013, the prevalence of caries of school stu- dents aged 5 years old was 65%; way over levels in comparison to other countries in the world. How does the dental com- munity in Dubai participate in WOHD? The dental community plays a very crucial role through collaborations and activities focused on the goal of reducing the prevalence of caries in the Emirate. There is a lot to be done in the fi eld. This is not impossible and can be achieved through bring- ing like minds together. What has Dubai Health Authority learned from this day? Like many goals that the Dubai Health Authority strives for, the val- ues of community wellbeing and reducing the prevalence of caries in Dubai will be an achievement. What kind of impact does this day have on public in general? The community has a great role in reducing the number of dental cavi- ties among children. Parents, guardians, school nurses, administrators are vital in playing the role of mentors and educators in imparting good knowledge of dental care among the children. Smile Like You Mean It. Or do you? New research from GUM® reveals embarrassment about teeth and gums causes Europeans to hide their smiles less important, with just 11-14% of people in each country saying they would be embarrassed to have food in their teeth in front of their partner and just 4-6% would be embarrassed when talking to a relative.7 Healthy mouth, healthy smile The research also revealed that de- spite the majority of respondents agreeing that oral care is ‘extremely important’,8 only a handful of people are aware of the importance of clean- ing in between their teeth using in- terdental products such as fl oss and toothpicks. In all three countries, around three quarters of people (74% in France, 68% in Spain and 72% in Germany) believe that brushing twice daily is the most important thing they can do to improve their oral health.9 Al- most half of the French polled (45%) do not use interdental products at all, while only around a fi fth of Span- ish (19%) and Germans (23%) use them every day.10 In fact, although interdental prod- ucts such as NEW GUM® Advanced Soft Picks® can dislodge food from teeth quickly and easily, people tend to reach for something a little more unusual. For the French, matchsticks and the cap of a ballpoint pen are the weapons of choice after a fi ngernail, while the Germans and Spanish pre- fer the tip of a straw.11 Using NEW GUM® Soft Picks® Ad- vanced offers an easy, safe and effec- tive way to discretely clean between teeth and remove unwanted food from your teeth, whether you’re at home or out and about. The new, su- perior design offers improved com- fort and control, making it easier to reach and remove plaque and food from even the hardest to reach teeth. NEW Soft Picks® Advanced can be used discreetly to quickly get rid of stuck food on important occasions such as a business meeting or fi rst date or anytime you want to give your mouth an extra clean and get back your natural confi dence, smile without inhibitions and radiate the real you. Between your teeth can actually remove more bacteria than simply brushing. GUM®’s Interden- tal range contains highly effective fl ossing and gum health products that can prevent, control and treat the gum and oral health issues that can compromise your smile – giving you back the confi dence to smile like you mean it. References 1. www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S0749597804000743 2. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 7 (42% in France, 55% in Spain, 49% in Ger- many) 3. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 8 4. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 12 5. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 8 (29% of respondents in France and Spain and 33% in Germany do not like the alignment of their teeth, while 43% in France, 33% in Spain and 49% in Germany do not like the colour of their teeth) 6. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 12 7. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 12 (11% of French, 13% of Spanish and 14% of Germans would feel embarrassed about having food in their teeth in front of their partner, while only 5% of French, 6% of Spanish and 4% of Germans would be embarrassed in front of a relative) 8. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 1 (67% in France, 56% in Spain, 50% in Ger- many) 9. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 6 10. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 3 11. Atomik Research: survey of 1000 men and women in France, Spain and Germany. Question 13 (55% in France, 63% in Spain and 68% in Germany use a fi ngernail to remove food from their teeth. In France, 14% like to use matchsticks and 13% the cap of a ballpoint pen, while 15% in Spain and 13% in Germany favour the tip of a straw). By GUM Sunstar When you want to make a great fi rst impression on a date or a job interview, be sure to smile! Research shows that our smiles are our most powerful emotional tool and that when we have a bright, healthy smile we not only appear more likeable, we’re perceived to be more compe- tent too.1 According to a new survey from in- terdental cleaning experts GUM®, around half of men and women polled across Europe like their smile,2 but often feel embarrassed to fl ash it because they are self-conscious about their teeth and gums.3 All those surveyed in France, Germa- ny and Spain for the launch of NEW GUM® Advanced Soft Picks®, agreed that they are most likely to cover that they are most likely to cover their smile when they’re in front their smile when they’re in front of an audience or trying to impress of an audience or trying to impress someone they fi nd attractive.4 Worrying that their teeth are crooked and discoloured was the main prob- lem for most respondents – but 18% of French said they were conscious of their gums, while around one third of Spanish (30%) and Germans (33%) said they cover their smile because they worry something is stuck in their teeth.5 First impressions count The majority of those polled (36% in France, 34% in Spain and 26% in Germany) agreed that they would be most embarrassed about having leftovers in their teeth while giving a presentation at work, closely fol- lowed by being on a fi rst date for the French (21%) and Germans (19%) and fl irting with a potential date for the Spanish (18%).6 Impressing a partner or a relative is seen as far