Wednesday 14 October 2009

257. Azores: Number of children without tooth decay increases

The number of children Azores with six years free of tooth decay increased from 30 to 38 percent, according to regional prevalence study on oral educated population, today announced the Government.
The regional secretary for Social Affairs, Domingos Cunha, said that the significant increase of dentists and access of citizens to obtain "very positive results, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. "With the hiring of 15 dentists in the health units of all the islands of the archipelago and the work of over 108 dentists from the private sector, there is a greater supply which has been tapped by the people," he said.
According to Domingos Cunha, the health centers in the region are making every year, 25 thousand queries oral health policy and reimbursement for those using private services makes a decisive contribution.
The "Regional Study of Prevalence of Oral Diseases in the Population Educated in the Azores in 2005" was conducted by dentists Ricardo Cabral, Magdalena Mont'Alverne and Artur Lima. The study examined 517 children of nine islands, of which 250 were male (48 percent) and 267 females (52 percent) at six years (165), twelve years (179) and fifteen (153). The results showed that the average rate of dental fluorosis in the Azores is 0.7, with the islands of São Miguel and Pico those with the highest rate (0.9) and Flores and Corvo those with the lowest index (0.1).
The dental caries, is 0.2 in children aged six years, 2.1 to twelve years and from 3.6 to fifteen years. In children or young age of six, twelve and fifteen years, the highest rate of tooth decay occurs on the island of Corvo, while the lowest is in Santa Maria (six and fifteen years) and Pico (12 years). According to the study, the prevalence of children free of dental caries in permanent teeth in the Azores is 44.9 percent.
The conclusions of the study recommended the creation of a regional study of the determination of fluoride in drinking water, covering 154 towns in the Azores. The document, according to Domingos Cunha, will be delivered to all schools and health units Azores.

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