Steps being taken to improve oral health

Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux, has announced that a National Strategic Plan on Health for 2010 to 2019 will take the necessary steps to improve oral health in Dominica.

He made that statement at the launching ceremony of the 2015-2016 Oral Health Survey held at the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) building in Roseau on Monday.

According to Dr. Darroux, the government supports the key action area set out in the strategic plan and outlined the necessary steps that should be undertaken in terms of oral health.

“Oral health through promotion and disease prevention, reduce the incident of dental cavities and oral cancer through prevention and early detection programmes, begin screening children at age six and before they enter primary and secondary school,” he said. “We will continue also to promote a healthy diet, particularly lower consumption of sugars and increase consumption of fruits and vegetables in accordance to the World Health Organization global strategy on diet physical activity and health, and also the reduction of malnutrition.”

Furthermore, he stated, strategies will also be developed for other diseases related to tobacco use by involving care professionals in tobacco programmes, “and discouraging children and young people from adopting the tobacco habit.”

He said the survey, upon completion, will assist in enhancing the current school oral health programme and to implement other programmes for the other age groups included in the survey.

Meantime Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Johnson, said globally there is an increase in oral cancers related to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

“HPV is the main cause of Cervical Cancer; in fact given the burden of this phenomenon within the region, for which Dominica is not excluded, the Pan American World Health Organization has issued a call for action through the regional oral health cancer, non communicable diseases programs to address the alarming evidence available concerning HPV infection,” he stated.

According to Dr. Johnson, “people are getting oral cancer by having oral sex.”

He said further that undoubtedly today more than ever before oral health is affected by the same factors that impact on the general population’s health.

“I refer here to road traffic accidents and the increase in the number of persons with vascular facial injuries, crime and violence, and in fact, physical abuse which results in injuries to the oral cavity, or rather injuries to the teeth, gums are negatively impacting on the oral health of the population,” Dr. Johnson noted. “This puts a strain on the dental health department and by extension the Ministry of Health to adequately manage these patients.

Dr Johnson indicated that it’s against this background that an Oral Health Policy was developed for Dominica.

“The policy outlines the strategic direction for the promotion and management of oral health,” he explained. “Some of the areas addressing the policy, the policy ensures the provision of a basic level of oral health services to all…”