Too much junk is bad for your gums

JAKARTA (JP): Too much fast food is bad for your gums, Minister of Health Sujudi says.

Sujudi bases his assertion on the fact that fast food tends to be rich and soft, while the gums need hard and chewy food.

"Once in while fast food may be okay, but if you constantly eat fast food, you could get a gum-ache," he told reporters on Saturday. "Just don't make it a habit," he added.

He said people will be better off sticking to fare that tends to have more fiber and therefore requires more chewing.

"Your teeth and gums will be strong," he said after accompanying Uton Muchtar, the Southeast Asia Regional Director of the World Health Organization meet with President Soeharto at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Uton said WHO this year is focusing on the promotion of oral health, and in this regard, one of the major problems in Southeast Asia is the tradition of betel chewing because it can cause mouth cancer.

"We strongly urge people to cut down on betel chewing," Uton said. (emb)