The most common oral diseases in Qatar are dental cavities, periodontal disease, oral cancer, oral infectious diseases, trauma from injuries, and hereditary lesions, disclosed an official Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). A recent study also has revealed that 85% of students in Qatar had some form of tooth decay.
HMC is encouraging residents to maintain proper oral health hygiene to ensure a healthy ‘Smile for Life’, which is the theme for this year’s World Oral Health Day.
“Oral health is essential to general health and quality of life. It is a state of being free from mouth and facial diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing,” said Dr Mohamed Sultan al-Darwish, prosthodontist and dental Public Health expert at HMC and president of Qatar Dental Society.
According to Dr al-Darwish, the most common oral diseases in Qatar are dental cavities, periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancer, oral infectious diseases, trauma from injuries, and hereditary lesions. “In Qatar, dental caries or cavities are the leading oral health problems as our study conducted last year provided solid evidence about this,” said Dr al-Darwish.
He explained that the study conducted on a total of 2,113 students in 12 government and four private schools, divided equally between boys’ and girls’ schools, found that about 85% of students had some form of tooth decay.
Observed annually on 20 March, World Oral Health Day serves as an occasion to remind governments, national dental associations, schools, communities, and families of their important role in raising awareness of good oral hygiene and habits contributing to good oral health to ensure effective prevention of oral health diseases and disorders.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), oral health is a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral sores, birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, periodontal disease, tooth decay and tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that affect the oral cavity. Risk factors for oral diseases include an unhealthy diet, tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, and poor oral hygiene and social determinants.
HMC had organised several events that included oral health awareness activities across different schools and shopping malls in Qatar, to mark the World Oral Health Day and the GCC Oral Health Week.
Visitors seeking information about oral health at one of the events to mark the World Oral Health Day and the GCC Oral Health Week.
