EUL’s Academician Yurdukoru draw attention to the importance of Oral and Dental Health
Everyone should get into the habit of Correct and Regular Oral Care
Prof. Dr. Bengül Yurdukoru, Dean of European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Dentistry conveyed detailed information on “Communal Dental and Oral Health”.
Yurdukoru said that, “First School of Dentistry in Turkey was established on November 22nd 1908 under the body of Medical Faculty” and added that since 1996 22nd of November is celebrated as the “Dentist’s Day” and the week that consists 22nd November is celebrated as the “Communal Dental and Oral Health Week”.
Yurdukoru stated that under the framework of this week awareness raising events with the aims of; development of oral and dental health awareness, the adoption of preventive dentistry practices as a way of life, generalization of regular dentist controls, thus minimizing the incidence of dental decays, gum diseases and the resulting systemic diseases. Yurdukoru pointed out that it is aimed to increase the availability of correct attitudes and behaviors by increasing oral dental health information through regular dentist controls and trainings of the whole community including pregnant women, babies, adults and children, to reduce the prevalence and effectiveness of diseases, and to improve accessibility in preventive oral and dental health services.
Yurdukoru: Parents should brush their own teeth and set an example for their children.
Yurdukoru said that, “In the process of protection and development of oral and dental health, it is very important for our children to acquire the habit of brushing teeth. Parents should brush their own teeth and set an example for their children” and added that encouraging teeth brushing and proper nutrition at schools by teachers will help our children to have the right attitude and behavior in terms of oral and dental health. Yurdukoru stated that getting into the habit of correct and regular oral care, choosing the nutrients that do not create caries when regulating our nutrition, avoiding to break the hard and crusted foods with our teeth, not disrupting the dentist controls and being sensitive in the protective fluorine applications recommended by the dentist are vital in terms of periodontal health.
Yurdukoru: Approaches of societies to health problems vary
Yurdukoru said that, “The identification and resolution of oral health problems in larger groups requires a new approach of new methods that exceed the patient-physician framework individually” and added that health services shouldn’t be handled only in terms of the problems of individuals, but also in a wide range covering all groups of society. Pointing out that the approach of societies to health problems varies considerably depending on the priority of these problems and the cultural and socio-economic level of the society, Yurdukoru said that “In dental clinical practice, the target of the dentist is individual patients. In the Communal Oral Health System (TADS), the target is the health of the community”.
Pointing out the effectiveness of importance attached to the total dental care service and treatment system in the area of Communal Oral Dental Health, Yurdukoru said that, “It should not be forgotten that dental diseases are not reversible and they do not heal themselves”. Yurdukoru finally said that although protective methods are quite successful in reducing the prevalence and incidence of major dental diseases, only protection does not eliminate them all and added that “Therefore, treatment with the protective element is essential in the dental public health program. Because, dental caries and periodontal disease are common and progressive diseases that have universal prevalence, and they are common and progressive diseases that do not heal if left untreated and require time and technical support for their treatment”.