Parents have become more concerned about their children's dental health

July 22, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Parents have become more concerned about the dental health of their children. This opinion was expressed today by Nadezhda Tsepota, chief physician of the Vitebsk City Children's Dental Polyclinic, at a press conference dedicated to the prevention of dental diseases, a BELTA correspondent reports.

Parents' awareness of the prevention of dental diseases in children has significantly increased in recent years. "Many are paying increased attention to this issue, which, accordingly, affects the health status of young patients," stated Nadezhda Tsepota. For example, in the key group of 12-year-old children, the intensity of permanent tooth decay in 2010 was 2.6% compared to 3.4% in 1999. The percentage of healthy 6-year-old children increased from 9.6% (in 1999) to 25% last year.

"Along with this, the attitude towards the condition of their teeth and oral cavity of adult patients is noteworthy, for a significant part of whom late seeking medical help is characteristic," noted Elena Razumovich, head of the preventive department of the Vitebsk City Clinical Dental Polyclinic. Late seeking medical help for maxillofacial diseases is characteristic of 60% of patients at the Vitebsk Regional Oncological Dispensary. "As a rule, most of them enter the medical institution already with stage 2-3 malignant neoplasms, which significantly reduces the survival rate," emphasized the specialist, focusing on the need for regular preventive visits to dentists. "This will allow timely detection of precancerous conditions and reduce the possibility of neoplasms," said the doctor.

Chronic injuries from untreated teeth, unerupted roots, and old prosthetics can be a cause of malignant neoplasms. The influence of alcohol, nicotine, and drugs also plays a role. According to the Vitebsk Regional Oncology Dispensary, from January to June of this year, 14 cases of malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity were detected in Vitebsk and the Vitebsk region, compared to 36 in 2010. Furthermore, delayed medical attention led to the death of two residents of the region suffering from purulent-inflammatory diseases of the maxillofacial area.-0-