The Saudi Dental Society is backing a renewed, nationwide focus on oral hygiene and oral care practice across Saudi Arabia by supporting a series of community led initiatives to address a lack of dental health awareness among residents of all ages.
Speaking at a press conference in Riyadh today, Dr. Fahad Al Shehri, President of the Saudi Dental Society, announced the Society has partnered with Colgate to drive the Oral Health Month campaign, a nationwide initiative designed to encourage families to visit the dentist regularly and take a more preventative approach towards avoiding severe dental problems.
“It is often said that prevention is the best form of medicine and we need to heed this as we increase our efforts to educate the people of Saudi Arabia on the immediate and long-term benefits of responsible oral healthcare and hygiene habits,” said Dr. Al Shehri.
The need for increased oral care awareness and changes to dietary habits in Saudi Arabia remain primary focuses for domestic healthcare officials. A 2013 study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation revealed that 16.3% of Saudi Arabians never brush their teeth and 85% of the households surveyed didn’t floss their teeth. [ii]
According to more recent statistics, the situation has not changed in recent years. Research conducted by Ipsos in 2014 showed that 88% of Saudi residents only visit a dentist when faced with painful dental problems, and that 58% of Saudi residents are unaware of how weak oral care routines affects overall health. The situation has already reached crisis point for the country’s youth, with statistics from the Ministry of Health revealing tooth decay in children aged 6 and 12-years-of-age currently stands at 96% and 93.7%, respectively[iii].
Across Saudi Arabia, it is an acknowledged fact that residents adopt a reactive approach to healthcare and oral care; a situation and habit that the campaign aims to change as oral care is a preventive practice. Visits to the dentist without any evident ailment or issue are being encouraged as part of the wider campaign focus – to raise the standard of oral hygiene and care across the country.
The partnership between the Saudi Dental Society and Colgate during Oral Health Month is designed to challenge that status quo, according to Dr. Al Shehri.
“We need to educate people across Saudi Arabia on the importance of improving their dietary habits and adopting better daily oral care practices. The most common reasons for Saudi residents currently visiting the dentist remains cosmetic in nature or if they have a severe tooth problem – we want to educate people that proactively visiting the dentist is important,” said Dr. Al Shehri. “A lack of awareness remains our core challenge and it is our duty as dental care professionals to educate people on how to use oral care products and work with companies that have a long history of research in developing reputable oral care products. There is too much focus on the cosmetic aspects of dentistry – we need to make that focus shift to hygiene and general care. Today is a definitive step towards reducing the gap between the lack of education and uninformed oral hygiene practices.”
As part of the month-long Oral Health Month campaign, Saudi residents can take advantage of free dental checkups throughout April and May by visiting any of the 3,200 dentists across Saudi Arabia who have committed to supporting the campaign. Residents can also visit the campaign’s dedicated website www.colgateamanah.com to book free dental appointments at their closest community clinic.
“As global experts in the field of oral care, we have extensive data on how nationwide or community-focused initiatives are a tried and tested method in educating and changing habits, perceptions and practices – be it among older or younger generations,” said Mr. Marios Trikides, Marketing Director, Colgate. “We recognise the Amanah of taking care of families and we hope Oral Health Month assists parents and elders with the tools to take even better care of their own dental needs and their children’s oral hygiene practices.”
Oral Health Month runs from April until May, with Saudi Arabia residents being asked to take advantage of access to free dental checkups and learn about how simple oral health care habits can be adopted at home.
To book your free dental checkup during Oral Health Month visit www.colgateamanah.com to find your nearest participating dentist. Enjoy your dental checkup and keep your Amanah.