Crisis 'should not lead to poor dental health'
Crisis 'should not lead to poor dental health'
JAKARTA (JP): An expert in dentistry said on Saturday the
economic crisis should not be an excuse to neglect dental health.
Sri Harini Soemartono, a professor at the University of
Indonesia's School of Dentistry, said people should not have any
problems with dental care during the crisis if they are aware of
proper cleaning methods.
She refused to respond to a question on whether a change in
eating patterns during the crisis -- which has seen the emergence
of millions of newly impoverished people and has forced many to
survive on only one meal a day -- would also affect children's
dental development.
On Nov. 12 last year, the government commemorated the 33rd
National Health Day taking up the theme of "Improving awareness
of dental health to build better human resources." Children's
dental health was among the focus of the day.
"People should start cleaning their teeth from an early age,
when babies have their first teeth," Sri said after a ceremony
installing her as a professor of the school.
Mothers can clean their babies' teeth by brushing them gently
with a wet, soft material like cotton.
A 1995 Ministry of Health survey revealed that 64 percent of
children under five years old in the country never brushed their
teeth.
Ministry data in 1994 showed that 96 percent of the same age
group had cavities, with an average of nine damaged teeth per
child.
In her presentation, Sri explained the relation between
children's feeding patterns and dental health.
She said cavities were a major problem in children's dental
health.
According to another health ministry report in 1994, the
number of 12-year-old children with cavities increased to 2.70
percent in 1990 from 0.70 in 1970.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target for less
than 3 percent of 12 year olds to have cavities and 50 percent
in the five to six year-old-age group by the year 2000.
Sri said letting babies drink milk or other sweet liquid from
a bottle caused cavities.
"Babies often fall asleep with bottles in their mouths. This
causes their front teeth to absorb the sugar in the milk and
causes cavities," she explained.
Poor dental treatment could lead to a high instance of
cavities.
Children with cavities have been found to weigh less and are
shorter than those without cavities.
Sri said it would be better for mothers to breast-feed. If a
mother has to feed her baby milk formula from a bottle, she
should do it in a sitting position to ensure the milk does not
saturate her baby's teeth.
She said children should be taught to choose "healthy food"
for the sake of their dental health.
Artificially sweet food and snacks should be eaten in
moderation to avoid cavities.
"It's more economical to maintain dental health than paying
dental fees," she said. (01)
JAKARTA (JP): An expert in dentistry said on Saturday the
economic crisis should not be an excuse to neglect dental health.
Sri Harini Soemartono, a professor at the University of
Indonesia's School of Dentistry, said people should not have any
problems with dental care during the crisis if they are aware of
proper cleaning methods.
She refused to respond to a question on whether a change in
eating patterns during the crisis -- which has seen the emergence
of millions of newly impoverished people and has forced many to
survive on only one meal a day -- would also affect children's
dental development.
On Nov. 12 last year, the government commemorated the 33rd
National Health Day taking up the theme of "Improving awareness
of dental health to build better human resources." Children's
dental health was among the focus of the day.
"People should start cleaning their teeth from an early age,
when babies have their first teeth," Sri said after a ceremony
installing her as a professor of the school.
Mothers can clean their babies' teeth by brushing them gently
with a wet, soft material like cotton.
A 1995 Ministry of Health survey revealed that 64 percent of
children under five years old in the country never brushed their
teeth.
Ministry data in 1994 showed that 96 percent of the same age
group had cavities, with an average of nine damaged teeth per
child.
In her presentation, Sri explained the relation between
children's feeding patterns and dental health.
She said cavities were a major problem in children's dental
health.
According to another health ministry report in 1994, the
number of 12-year-old children with cavities increased to 2.70
percent in 1990 from 0.70 in 1970.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target for less
than 3 percent of 12 year olds to have cavities and 50 percent
in the five to six year-old-age group by the year 2000.
Sri said letting babies drink milk or other sweet liquid from
a bottle caused cavities.
"Babies often fall asleep with bottles in their mouths. This
causes their front teeth to absorb the sugar in the milk and
causes cavities," she explained.
Poor dental treatment could lead to a high instance of
cavities.
Children with cavities have been found to weigh less and are
shorter than those without cavities.
Sri said it would be better for mothers to breast-feed. If a
mother has to feed her baby milk formula from a bottle, she
should do it in a sitting position to ensure the milk does not
saturate her baby's teeth.
She said children should be taught to choose "healthy food"
for the sake of their dental health.
Artificially sweet food and snacks should be eaten in
moderation to avoid cavities.
"It's more economical to maintain dental health than paying
dental fees," she said. (01)