Almost 64 percent of the residents in the country have untreated dental caries or tooth decay. According to the Minister of Health, statistics from the National Oral Health Survey 2015 to 2017 showed it higher compared to the percentage of developed countries such as Australia, where the percentage of untreated dental caries is as low as 28 point 7 percent. However, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Doctor Haji Md Isham bin Jaafar explained that the total of number of decayed, missing and filled teeth, DMFT score among adults aged 35 to 44 is almost the same which is 9 point 7 percent in Brunei Darussalam and 10 point 6 percent in Australia.

Yang Berhormat the Minister of Health highlighted the matter in his message in conjunction with World Oral Health Day 2018. Yang Berhormat added that for structural health around the teeth such as gums and bones, 74 point 8 percent of the country's people aged between 34 and 44 have inflammation of the gums, which is 15 percent higher than Australia. Nevertheless, the DMFT score for children aged 12 is at par with the neighbouring countries, which shows the total DMFT score of 1 point 0 percent for Brunei Darussalam compared to point 8 percent in Malaysia and point 6 percent in Singapore. The survey also showed that only 37 point 4 percent of the country's adults have undergone examinations at dental clinics within the last 12 months.

The World Oral Health Day is celebrated every 20th of March worldwide to commemorate the importance of oral health care. This year, the celebration carries the theme 'Say Ahh!: Think Mouth, Think Health'. Among the simple ways that can be taken by the public in maintaining oral health is by avoiding risk factors such as the use of tobacco and unhealthy diet, practicing the habit of good oral cleanliness and undergoing frequent dental examinations.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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