Dental practitioners say it
is important, even during the first three years of a
child’s life, to pay attention to his dental health.
This is crucial especially in a country like the
Philippines where, as Dr. Arlene dela Cruz from the
Philippine Pediatric Dental Society, Inc. (PPDSI)
noted, there is a high incidence of early childhood
caries. She recommends that parents or caretakers
bring their kids to a pediatric dentist as soon as the
eruption of the first primary tooth, or no later than
12 months of age.
Good dental care habits will definitely pay lifelong
benefits. More than nice-looking teeth and an
attractive smile, proper oral health care among
children has been related to satisfactory performance
in school, as well as good social relationships and
even greater probability of success later on in life.
The most important strategy in the treatment of caries
is prevention. A preventive program for early
childhood caries must involve the participation of the
parent or caregiver.
The second Kiddie Dental Fair held by the Philippine
Pediatric Dental Society, Inc. (PPDSI) at SM Megamall
was therefore a welcome endeavor. During the Kiddie
Dental Fair, kids and adults had the opportunity to
visit the Wrigley’s Orbit Sugarfree Gum booth which
offered free dental consultation to the mall-going
public. Aligned with the PPDSI’s overall event theme,
“Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children,” Wrigley’s helped
encourage a positive attitude towards dental treatment
and care.
The event, whose kiddie attractions like a puppet show
sponsored by Orbit piqued the curiosity of and gave
kids, parents and caregivers visiting the mall
something to smile about, also instilled the value of
proper oral health care.
This activity of PPDSI, an organization noted for its
outstanding health awareness programs, drove home one
point: regular oral health care is one of the most
important steps you can take for your
kids, and it will carry well over into their adult
years. Teaching children the proper way to care for
their mouths and teeth from an early age is a wise
investment in their health. Parents or elders can lead
the way by showing an interest in healthy gums and
teeth.
The dental practitioners who took part in the oral
healthcare consultation highlighted the importance of
early dental check-ups and regular care to avoid
unnecessary cavities and dental treatment. They also
shared tips on how to make teeth strong, keep bacteria
from organizing into harmful colonies, develop healthy
eating and chewing habits..
It was interesting to note that the dental community
and industry are continually doing research to develop
new techniques for preventing dental decay and other
forms of oral disease.
Few individuals realize it, but chewing sugarfree gum
can actually do a lot more for the health of one’s
teeth than what has been normally realized. Extensive
clinical research into the benefits of chewing
sugarfree gum on oral health has shown conclusively
that chewing sugarfree gum for up to 20 minutes after
eating stimulates the production of saliva (and
accelerates the clearance of food debris, especially
in the teeth surface, and in the long term reduced the
rate of caries development in kids), and so helps to
neutralize plaque acids that cause dental decay.
Wrigley’s is the world leader in chewing gum that’s
committed to helping keep teeth healthy. Noted for
its quality brands of chewing gum that have been a
refreshing part of everyday life for more than 100
years, Wrigley’s is a staunch believer that good oral
hygiene is the single most important factor in keeping
your teeth and gums healthy. The company has
demonstrated its ongoing commitment to oral healthcare
by providing innovative and effective sugarfree
products and resources to both consumers and dental
professionals worldwide.
In the Philippines and across the world,
tooth-friendly products have to comply with a specific
test regimen in order to get ‘safe for teeth’
approval. Wrigley’s Orbit Sugarfree Gum has gotten the
"Seal of Recognition" from the Philippine Dental
Association (PDA) and the World Dental Federation
(FDI).
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