320 World Oral Health Day - Lifting the "mask mandate", maintaining good oral hygiene and flashing a healthy and confident smile.

HONG KONG,March 20,2023 --According to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022,oral diseases are the most common non-communicable diseases in humans and affect 3.5 billion people worldwide. Approximately 2 billion people have untreated caries in permanent teeth and 514 million children have untreated caries in deciduous teeth. In response to "World Oral Health Day" on March 20,2022,the Society of Preventive Dentistry of Hong Kong calls on the people of Hong Kong to maintain good oral hygiene habits so that they can flash healthy and confident smiles now that the "mask mandate" has been lifted.

WOHD23_Take charge of your oral health

Dr. Chu Chun Hung of the Society of Preventive Dentistry of Hong Kong,points out that the theme of World Oral Health Day 2023 continues to be "Be Proud of Your Mouth." In Hong Kong,the "mask mandate" was dropped at the beginning of this month. With masks removed,the public should regain their concern for oral health and take proper care of their mouths to maintain physical and mental health. Dr. Chu emphasizes that regular oral check-ups and brushing twice daily for two minutes every time are fundamental dental cleaning habits. In addition,parents should also help their children to develop good oral hygiene habits,which will not only help the entire family enjoy excellent oral health but also improves the overall quality of life.

In addition to regular dental check-ups,people need to do the following daily care: brush their teeth every morning and evening with toothpaste containing fluoride,floss or use an interdental brush to clean the areas between the teeth,and avoid or reduce the consumption of sweets. Adults and children aged four years or older can chew sugar-free gum. Chewing sugar-free gum stimulates saliva secretion and neutralizes acidity in the mouth can prevent tooth decay*. The World Dental Federation (FDI) has officially recognized the effectiveness of sugar-free gum in preventing tooth decay too.

* Based on King's College London's "A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Role of Sugar-Free Chewing Gum in Dental Caries"published on the JDR Clinical & Translational Research in July 2020,the sugar-free gum was found to reduce caries increment,giving it a preventative factor of 28%.

About theSociety of Preventive Dentistry of Hong Kong

The Society of Preventive Dentistry of Hong Kong (SPDHK) shares a common goal to promote oral health for the community and provides oral care information. If you want to know more about SPDHK,please visit:http://www.spdhk.org/index.php