As many as 64% of the students studying at 33 government and aided schools in Kapurthala city are suffering from dental caries, or tooth decay, a routine dental check-up has revealed .The check-up was conducted by the dental specialist from the Civil Hospital, Kapurthala, under the Punjab School Dental Health Programme.
Dental caries is a major disease found among children and adults in which tooth slowly starts decaying and crumbling due to improper diet and wrong tooth brushing technique.
In the beginning, tooth decay spreads to softer and sensitive parts, which further weakens the enamel.
In his one-year research, Dr Gurdev Singh Bhatti, medical officer (dental), has checked more than 5,000 students from 33 government and aided schools in the town.
Bhatti said the major reason behind spreading of the disease was that children do not know the right technique of brushing, due to which dental caries attacks their teeth.
He said under the programme, doctors are informing children about right brushing technique.
Doctors also refer the students to the civil hospital but very few turn up for treatment.
“Despite free check-up and treatment by the government, parents are least bothered about the health of their children and ignore dental problems which further lead to serious complications,” Bhatti said.
He said doctors can only check the students at schools but the treatment has to be conducted at hospital.
Under the Punjab School Dental Health Programme, it is mandatory for the health department to conduct dental check-up in all government schools and provide free treatment to schoolchildren. The dental check-up camp should be conducted twice a year at all government schools.
“Despite free check-up and treatment by the government, parents are least bothered about the health of their children and ignore dental problems which further lead to serious complications,” Bhatti said.
He said doctors can only check the students at schools but the treatment has to be conducted at hospital.
Under the Punjab School Dental Health Programme, it is mandatory for the health department to conduct dental check-up in all government schools and provide free treatment to schoolchildren. The dental check-up camp should be conducted twice a year at all government schools.