PHCC launches oral health campaign

The Ministry of Public Health in partnership with government health institutions, has launched a joint national campaign to enhance awareness of the importance of oral and dental health and prevent diseases which may adversely affect one’s health and quality of life."Over the course of four weeks, this national campaign stresses the importance of undergoing periodic check-ups of oral and dental health, maintaining a balanced diet, practising effective oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing teeth, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and thumb sucking in children," said Dr Rami Assad, senior consultant, Oral and Dental Surgery and director of dentistry at Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).The campaign, which highlights the strong relationship between oral health and overall health, uses a multi-faceted approach to reach different segments of Qatar’s population. The first two weeks focus on enhancing public awareness of oral health, utilising social media platforms, and engaging the National Museum of Qatar in its activities. PHCC has allocated a group of dentists to visit schools and educate students about the principles of mouth care through fun and informative activities and lectures.During the third week, the campaign activities will be held in Qatar Rehabilitation Institute and Rumailah Hospital while providing specialised information tailored specifically to older people. The fourth week will focus on individuals who suffer from heart disease, given the clear link between oral health and cardiovascular health in general. Additionally, the activities will be held at the Heart Hospital with targeted educational materials designed to enable individuals with heart disease to maintain their oral health more effectively.PHCC’s dental clinics, distributed through all health centres, provide comprehensive primary health services in both general and specialised dentistry, for all age groups. These services focus on prevention and early detection of dental and gum diseases and their treatment if they fall under the primary care level.The services provided in the general dental clinics include preventive treatments such as fluoride varnish application, cosmetic fillings, gum cleaning in case of gum disease, such as scaling (removal of plaque and tartar), or in case of periodic preventive cleaning. In addition to root canal fillings and tooth extraction services for simple cases.The specialised dental clinics include four specialties: Oral Surgery Clinic; Root Canal Treatment Clinic ; Paediatric Dental Clinic and Gum Disease Clinic.Dr Assad added that PHCC offers a range of preventive programmes targeting all age groups that include taking care of children’s health —starting from the mother’s pregnancy period to children under five—, then taking care of preventive health for school students.