City health action plan to target dental care
As high a percentage as 47.2 percent of local children aged 3 have tooth decay, while over 90 percent of middle-aged and elderly people have periodontal problems, the Shanghai Health Commission reported on Sunday, National Tooth Care Day.
As a result children and the elderly are major targets of health management.
The city’s three-year health action plan has included a dental health service for children and the elderly, said Dr Liu Yuehua, president of Shanghai Stomatology Hospital.
“Dental care will be offered for the first 1,000 days for a child, which means the pregnancy and infant period, and the elderly, who usually have chronic diseases," he said. "A full-process management and healthcare launched by the community health centers and professional hospitals will be offered for screening, education, diagnosis and treatment."
Experts said a high intake of sugar, fat and salt leads to dental diseases and other chronic illness such as coronary diseases, diabetes, stroke, obesity and cancer.
A healthy diet and lifestyle can not only prevent chronic diseases but also benefit tooth development and enhance dental disease prevention.
Dr Liu Yuehua, president of Shanghai Stomatology Hospital, gives a speech on dental care on the National Tooth Care Day.
