Beijing dentists raise alarm over poor oral hygiene practices

HONG KONG/LEIPZIG, Germany: Dentists from the Beijing Stomatological Hospital have released new figures that indicate poor oral hygiene practices in more than 50 per cent of adults. According to the survey by the Hospital’s Oral Disease Prevention Department, less than half of middle-aged residents in the Chinese capital clean their teeth even twice a week and no more than 1 per cent of people use dental floss.

The figures apply to the rest of the country, in which even more people are often reluctant to maintain an oral hygiene practice. A 2007 study by the World Health Organization has shown that in some parts of China, only one in four adults brush their teeth or pay regular visits to their dentist.

“People do know the importance of oral health, but less than 15 per cent went to the Department of Stomatology last year. Less than 1 per cent have had regular oral examinations.” Han Yongcheng, Director of the Oral Disease Prevention Department told the newspaper China Daily. “Most people only went to the clinics for toothaches.”

He added that according to the survey, more than 60 per cent of the patients observed have dental caries and 80 per cent suffer from gingivitis.

The Beijing municipal government has already invested US$2 million in caries prevention programmes but admitted they need to do more to improve the oral health status of the city’s citizens. An oral disease prevention programme was set up last year that aims to popularise health information, such as correct toothbrushing, and advocate healthy food, tobacco control and exercise. They aim for more than 90 per cent of residents to brush their teeth twice a day by 2014.