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Hygiene Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition No. 3, 2018

PUBLISHED IN DUBAI www.dental-tribune.me May-June | No. 3, Vol. 8 M(oral) Education tested in Dubai Youth Hub: A Creative Way to Tackle Dental Decay By Dr. Shiamaa Al-Mashhadani The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers caries, periodon- tal diseases, loss of teeth, oral can- cers and trauma as major causes of health burdens. Dental cavities can be found in 60-90 per cent of chil- dren of school-going age. Not only is there an alarmingly high prevalence of dental disorders worldwide, but there is also sufficient evidence to suggest that the benefits of the cur- rent interventions aimed at reduc- ing this burden are not reaching the populations at risk. In similarity with the global trend, surveys in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also revealed a startlingly high prevalence of various dental diseases. Surveys have revealed that 83 per cent of children aged five years are affected by caries, and 52 per cent have four or more decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT). In a study conducted in Abu Dhabi, an Emirate within the UAE, the mean DMFT score was recorded at 8.4, 8.6, and 5.7 for children aged five years in various regions of the Emirate. The latest study focusing on the Emirate of Dubai shows similar high num- bers, with caries prevalent in 65 per cent of five-year-olds. 10 per cent of these children have more than five teeth with untreated caries. Data from these studies highly suggests that there is an urgent need for ac- tion to counter the widespread den- tal diseases in the UAE. The WHO has suggested a number of cost-effective and holistic interventions to counter the increasing prevalence of dental diseases. Preschools and schools provide an important base to promote oral health as they reach large numbers of students who pass on these mes- sages to their families. Schools can make substantial contributions to students’ health and well-being. This has been increasingly recognised by many international initiatives including those from the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and UNESCO. This means that the oral health messages reinforced in schools will eventually reach the whole community. The early years of a child’s life are the most influential in reinforcing habits and attitudes, therefore teaching the students at this age about proper oral health habits will have a lifelong effect. They will be healthier and more produc- tive individuals in their community, having better quality of life with a potential to long term cost saving. To eliminate dental problems, one must follow a tripod approach of ed- ucation, prevention and availability of oral health care. The New York University Abu Dhabi Public Health Think Tank (PHTT) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary and locally engaged initiative, designed to catalyse public health innovation in and beyond the United Arab Emir- ates. This year, the PHTT concen- trated on oral health in an immer- sive, two-day event where delegates planned an oral health intervention alongside students from across the UAE, and received lectures and guid- ance from leading public health pro- fessionals. The winning team (Team Ras Al Khaimah) proposed a project with the aim to decrease the prevalence of caries in children across the UAE by increasing oral health awareness and constant reinforcement through the incorporation of oral health into the moral education curriculum within public schools. To implement this intervention, a pilot study will be conducted on schoolchildren from Grade 1 until they reach Grade 6 (from 2018 to 2024). The group cho- sen will be educated each year within the pilot program on multiple lev- els of dental health awareness, and the results of their decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) will be col- lected after six years. When compar- ing these results to the DMFT data of previous sixth graders who were not exposed to the oral health edu- cation program, an improvement is expected, which will prove the effec- tiveness of the intervention. The oral health program will then hopefully be implemented into the moral edu- cation curriculum in schools across the UAE. The intervention is essen- tial because, at present, there are few pre-existing long-term curricula on oral health. It will also provide rein- forcement, which is key for children to break free from unhealthy socio- cultural norms, such as tobacco us- age. This intervention also capitalis- es on resources already available by implementing education through pre-existing jobs while preventing the onset of caries, thereby reduc- ing government expenditure in the long-run. The intervention was recently pre- sented in the Dubai Youth Hub as a prototype with the participation of students from Dubai Modern Educa- tion Private School. Feedback collect- ed from students and their parents who attended has shown promising results. For further information on the pro- ject, please visit http://2017.phtt.org/ Optimal secondary prophylaxis with CPS perio simultaneously diagnoses fresh caries and periodontal disease as early as possible, remineralises early changes in the enamel and treats orthodontic misalignment early on. Secondary prophylaxis is a part of daily work in many dental practices. This is where the CURAPROX brand comes in. A customised hygiene programme with the best products, personal care and instruction to the patient on using the oral hygiene products are what ensure successful treatment. The products and con- cepts of CURAPROX are the key to long-term successful prophylaxis. With the correct and regular use of soft toothbrushes and interdental brushes from CURAPROX, patients can remove newly formed plaque and older, more established plaque. Secondary prophylaxis with CPS perio As soon as the active treatment phase has been concluded, the pa- tient follows a specific periodontal care protocol that takes into account his or her oral health status, for ex- ample if the patient’s papillae are badly injured or if there are black tri- angles. Regardless of the treatment, the work by the practice team consti- tutes only 30 per cent of the success. The remaining 70 per cent is up to the patient him- or herself. Most interdental brushes do not completely fill the interdental space and are much too hard and their use thus leads to pain. The CPS perio is especially suited to periodontitis pa- tients. This interdental brush is suffi- ciently rigid to give a really efficient clean, but soft enough to avoid pain. The wire used in the CPS perio is stronger than that in the CPS prime, to keep the brush sturdy. The extra- long and -fine bristles of the CPS perio effectively and carefully clean the large gaps of bridges, crowns or fillings. The practice team’s use of a calibrat- ed CURAPROX interdental access probe to choose interdental brushes of the right size further supports the patient in performing optimal secondary prophylaxis. The probe is now also available for the CPS perio range. The chairside box contains CPS perio and probes for the precise measurement of interdental spaces. The holders can be reused if required and the probes can be autoclaved. Interdental brushes of all sizes and probes can be stored hygienically and neatly ordered right in the treat- ment unit within easy reach. Fig 1. IAP By DTI Secondary prophylaxis stabilises treatment results, for example after treatment of periodontitis or peri- implantitis. Secondary prophylaxis

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