Expert says most children suffer from dental cavities<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ninety-five percent of 2.4 million children
\nbetween six and 12 years old in Jakarta suffer from dental
\ncavities, an expert said Saturday.<\/p>\n
Heriandi Sutandi, head of the Children's Dentistry Division at
\nthe University of Indonesia, told The Jakarta Post that the high
\nnumber of cavities was uncovered in last year's survey by the
\nuniversity's School of Dentistry.<\/p>\n
Based on the survey, 70 percent of children between two and
\nfive years old have cavities, while 60 percent of teenagers
\nbetween 12 and 16 also have them.<\/p>\n
The high percentage of cavity cases was also found in other
\nbig cities, including Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Semarang.<\/p>\n
Heriandi said most cavities were caused by the consumption of
\nsweets and junk food.<\/p>\n
\"Ice cream, candy, chocolate and milk alter children's diets,\"
\nhe said at a one-day dental health campaign at Taman Ria Senayan,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Children in big cities, including Jakarta, were free to eat
\nalmost any kind of food without knowing how the food affected
\ntheir health, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately most parents only have limited knowledge about
\ndental care. Many of them don't care enough about maintaining
\ntheir teeth.\"<\/p>\n
The most effective way to avoid tooth decay was by routinely
\nbrushing your teeth at least twice daily, he said. And after
\nchildren consumed sweets, they should wash there mouths out with
\nwater.<\/p>\n
\"The habit of maintaining clean teeth must start at an early
\nage,\" Heriandi said.<\/p>\n
\"Just because they don't have a complete set of permanent
\nteeth yet doesn't mean they're not prone to cavities or other
\nmouth infections,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To protect teeth from cavities, the use of fluoride toothpaste
\nis recommended.<\/p>\n
\"Fluoride can also be consumed naturally, either by eating a
\nlot of fish and vegetables or drinking ground water.\"<\/p>\n
That was why children living in coastal areas showed
\nresistance to cavities because they ate a lot of fish, he said.<\/p>\n
Heriandi said the lack of knowledge in protecting and
\nmaintaining healthy teeth was the main obstacle in building
\npeople's awareness.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, the amount of cavities found in 3-month-old
\nbabies occur because the parents don't know that giving a baby a
\nbottle of milk while sleeping is very damaging.<\/p>\n
\"When the baby sleeps, the milk remains in its mouth together
\nwith bacteria which easily stimulates acid production. Then the
\nacid reacts with the teeth and created holes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There was a survey which revealed that every two cavities in a
\ntooth, if not treated immediately, would double in size within
\nsix months, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It's very important for people to have a routine dental
\ncheckup at least once a year. Many people are afraid to go to the
\ndentist, because they say treatment hurts.<\/p>\n
\"That perception is wrong. People usually go to the dentist
\nwhen their teeth are already in bad condition. If they go to the
\ndentist sooner, there won't be any problems,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The dental health campaign was jointly held by University of
\nIndonesia's School of Dentistry and Taman Ria Senayan.<\/p>\n
Among activities held Saturday were a dental health
\ncompetition, smiling competition, free dental checkups,
\nchildren's choirs and dance performances.<\/p>\n
Mrs. F. Sujudi, wife of Minister of Health Sujudi, kicked off
\nSaturday's campaign, accompanied by the dentistry school's dean
\nFaruk Hoesin.<\/p>\n
Minister Sujudi said earlier the government was to launch a
\nnational campaign this week on fluoridated drinking water to help
\ncombat dental problems.<\/p>\n
He said the rate of periodontal disease -- which affected gum
\ntissue surrounding the teeth -- was very high, affecting 86
\npercent of the national population.<\/p>\n
The fluoridation campaign was supported by international
\nhealth institutions, including the World Health Organization.
\n(07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expert-says-most-children-suffer-from-dental-cavities-1447893297",
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