274. ENTRONCAMENTO: The Board pays the brushes

Children who first enrolled in pre-school will be involved in sessions on oral health, organized by the Center for Health and the Alpha grouping of Kindergartens. The idea is to warn children and parents "to the importance of oral health and general welfare, in particular the practice of daily brushing of teeth."

The Board unanimously decided to award a grant of € 43.56 for the purchase of 200 toothbrushes, the essential "educational tool".

Via Esquerda - Entroncamento

273. Healthy teeth - first step to a healthy life

Was this today at our school a Superior Technique for Oral Health Center of Cacém, as part of the National Oral Health Promotion Directorate General of Health said a nice lady, this program is developed through various observations pupils aged between seven and twelve / thirteen. Sometimes also observed students in kindergartens. The first observation is given in the second year, becoming another in the fourth year and one third in the sixth year students previously reported as having some decay.

Also according to figures provided by the dental hygienist contacted in the previous academic year (2006/07) the percentage of caries-free children in kindergartens in the area of public Cacém was 71% and the group of boys from the age of seven was 42% caries-free. At national level there are no updated statistics.

Now, seven years old, 42% of students in a city area were free of cavities, which means that 58% already have tooth decay. These cases are referred and then sent to parents. Unfortunately, many do not have the health centers for further treatment of children. Unfortunate at all levels!

It follows appeals to parents to address oral hygiene and good health of children.

O LENCASTRE, BLOGUE-JORNAL

* * *

A number to remember: 58% of children under seven years of age already have caries. Does this number does not mean anything to the Ministries of Health and Education? Then there are those who say that there are more dentists in Portugal.

272. Workshop Learning Oral Health

Workshop Learning Oral Health

* * *

Information and registration on the link:

ISAVE - Institute of Health Alto Ave

271. Guinea-Bissau: Portuguese World Smile will open a dental clinic and provide free consultations

The non governmental organization (NGO) World of Smile will open a dental clinic in Guinea-Bissau and to provide free dental care to the entire population of Guinea, said today its chairman Miguel Pavão. Built three years ago to the World Smile is an association of dentists that Portuguese is to work in the area of oral health, especially among poor communities, excluded and marginalized.

In addition to projects in Portugal, the World Smile also has work in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, countries where volunteers from the World Smile provide medical care and raise awareness of oral hygiene. The idea of opening a clinic in Guinea-Bissau arose because the World The Smile had only a portable dental chair that limited the work of volunteers. "We had difficulty working. The only practical way was a portable dental chair, which helps but it has limitations," said today the agency Lusa Miguel Pavão.

A World of Smile contacted the orphanage Casa Emanuel, in Bissau, "a partner in the field, which allied with the initiative and offered a space in its facilities to build the clinic, said the person. "I was sent a dental chair courtesy Associação Abraço and 15 boxes of material in dentistry and dentistry that the Portuguese Institute for Development Support us chartered a container," said the president of the organization.

According to Miguel Pavão, next month to follow the Guinea-Bissau a group of volunteers, including two university graduates, which will install the seat, and the clinic to open in mid-August. The clinic will provide free service to all the Guinean population.

Waiting for "many customers," Miguel Pavão said he will have to be set some rules in attendance, with priority being given to partners and for priority cases. For now, the care provided will be "almost palliative, focusing on the treatment of caries, pain management, prescriptions and care for the young.

"Because they have a consumption of sugar too low, it pays to gamble when it comes to their first tooth. Up to 12 years can apply them to a treatment that prevents tooth decay," said the head.

Besides the clinical aspect, another tip of the organization is the training of local technicians and public awareness for the care of oral hygiene.

Sapo Notícias

270. Portugal: 5 districts without dentists in the National Health Service (S.N.S.)

The District of Santarém is one of five national level where people are forced to use private dentists because this specialty does not exist in public health services, according to a survey of the Dental Association. The remaining Braga, Guarda, Viseu and Portalegre.

According to the "Survey information carried in the health centers and hospitals throughout the continent" by the Dental Association (O.M.D.), which was presented at the XIV Congress of these professionals, nine out of ten health centers do not have doctors and dentists in seven ten hospitals suffer from the same shortcoming. The situation is worse in the five districts mentioned, since none of the hospitals or health centers serving those populations have this specialty.

The coordinator of the Sub-Health Region Santarém, Fernando Afoito, confirms that there is not staffing to dentists in health centers and specialty also not enter the accounts of public hospitals in the district. But he stresses that "Santarém is not zero in this field."

Been going on for five years a program of oral hygiene, guaranteed by qualified technicians, originally intended for schoolchildren. This year has been extended to pregnant women and users of rehabilitation centers for children.

"We have ten oral hygienists that cover eleven health centers - Benavente, Salvaterra, Coruche, Cartaxo, Rio Maior, Almeirim, Torres Novas, Tomar, Entroncamento, Fátima and Ourém," said Fernando Afoito. To ensure the service in other health centers, the Sub-Health Region contracted dentists. "Only in Santarem we contract with five," says the same charge.

The work is mainly done to prevent tooth decay and maintaining oral hygiene. From there, it only dentist in the private market. Where sometimes the service is paid its weight in gold.

The survey conducted by OMD now updates an earlier study in 2001, and reveals that, for the provision of treatment in oral health, "the situation has not changed, rather, has worsened." The Dental Association points out that the dentists' can only perform their duties as professionals, since there is no legislation that falls within the National Health Service. "

The lifting of the Dental Association covered 410 medical institutions spread across 79 hospitals and 340 health centers, the 18 districts of mainland Portugal. Taking into account all health facilities surveyed, "only 11 percent of cases there is a" specialty of dentistry or dental, which represents a reduction compared to 2001, concludes the Dental Association.

O Mirante online

* * *

It is unfortunate that this country will see on television the main national leaders at the inauguration of the health units of privately and these same governments never do anything for an increasingly dire oral health in central hospitals and health centers.

How can the tax money paid by all who work in this country continue to be diverted to lucrative business of private hospitals, where only the rich can get? What the politicians responsible for this situation?

269. More than 5,000 dental checks delivered to pregnant women and elderly, but only 10% used

More than 5,000 dental checks were given to pregnant women and elderly in just over a month of operation of the oral health project, the vast majority of mothers, according to official figures provided today to Lusa. Dental checks were created by the Government as a way to address the shortage of oral health in the National Health Service (SNS - Serviço Nacional de Saúde in Portuguese).

According to figures from the Dental Association, 27 May to 07 July were issued more than 4483 dental checks for pregnant women and only about 600 checks for the elderly. Each pregnant then the health centers are entitled to three dental checks, a maximum total of 120 euros, a program that provides cover 65 thousand pregnant. The elderly beneficiaries of the solidarity supplement can enjoy a maximum of two dental checks for a total of 80 euros.

Although they were issued more than five thousand checks, the figures compiled by Monday show there are only 559 checks were used (about 10 percent of already issued). For the president of the Dental Association, Orlando Monteiro da Silva, the difference between the checks and have already used to do with the fact that people to schedule consultations for later, stressing that the use of checks is to have " in recent days an exponential growth. This is evidenced by the number of calls with requests for information to the dentist, they have been around an average of 60 calls daily, and the Chairman of the Dental Association decided to allocate only two officials to answer questions from users.

In the geographical distribution of the issue of dental checks, the Regional Health Administration (ARS) North emerges as the most checks is delivered, then the ARS Lisbon and Tagus Valley, the ARS Center, the Algarve and Alentejo. In the north there are 92 health centers to spend these coupons to users of the National Health Service (SNS), 87 Center, 79 in Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Alentejo 23 and 15 in the Algarve, a total of 296 structures throughout the country.

So far there are over 2,300 private physicians who joined the program of checks by the NHS, with more than 3,000 different sites that users may apply for consultations or treatments. The Dental Association estimates there will be 195 thousand consultations for pregnant women - a total of 7 800 000 EUR - and 190 thousand appointments for seniors, a total of 7 600 000 EUR. If there were a fair distribution of checks by medical members, each clinician had revenues of more than 6800 per year.

RTP

268. Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Group (Azores)

The situation of children and youth at risk is manifested in various forms, the most common situations of physical abuse and psychological health problems, neglect, sexual abuse, parental responsibility and school dropout. Children under five are suffering most from the attacks on their well-being, followed by a band of six to 11 years. In most cases, children are victims of their own family.

(...) In the Azores, this reality must be considered. Furthering the problem, we are led to a paradox: 13 years after the proclamation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which definitely puts the child as having rights, it has never been wider policies to protect children. Therefore, the current situation of children, cited above, seems to be due mainly to the deep inequality in contemporary society, with emphasis on the situations of material deprivation and school that affect large segments of the population, providing, within families , land structural risk of mistreatment in childhood, especially on the major shortcomings of basic care.

Thus, the resolution of the paradox may lie in adopting economic policies and effective social transformation and change social realities that promote exclusion. In Portugal, since 1990 that have been working towards the implementation of policies at various levels who value the status of children and adolescents. Since that free health care in childhood and adolescence, extends to the pediatric health centers and hospitals, to the effective development of a network of public institutions for preschool education, while establishing the mechanisms to combat underachievement and school dropout.

(...) In the Azores, the approach to the issue of children and youth at risk marker is on the one hand, national legislation and, secondly, the implementation of these decisions on the ground with the regulations and adjustments will need to verify that there is a protection effective, and, not least so that they prevent the timely appearance of contexts vulnerable to those situations.

(...) To prevent the emergence of land structural risk, when:

• If you decide to school integration of children and youth with special needs and challenges teachers with expertise in the area;

• If endows the framework of school psychologists (soon to be 46);

• If vaccinated children;

• If you create, unique initiative in the country, the report Oral Health for Children and the Regional Oral Health;

• If underpins the debate on the subject and the training of educators, teachers, health professionals, social workers, psychologists, sociologists, law enforcement officials, judges, etc...

(...) Speaking a little more about the phase of the signal, it must be with the school space as the privileged to do so, given that every child goes to school and there are many hours. Thus, educators must be aware of the observation of behaviors of children and young people, and should be given training to enable the observation of behavior, detecting any signs of abuse.

Moreover, it is essential that the school institution is organized to offer opportunities and contexts for their students unload their tensions, to confide, be themselves without fear of criticism. We need to establish a trust relationship they entres and education community, so that they feel they can count on the school institution to everything they need, including accusations of mistreatment to which they are subject, with particular reference for sexual abuse, the subject of difficult approach, as is well known to us all.

(...) Often, the referral of the child or young person is at risk for institutionalization in shelters or temporary homes. Currently, there are, throughout the Region of the Azores, about 580 children and young institutionalized. To respond to this reality, the policy of Government has been marked by:

• Building and / or create new equipment, providing all the islands (except the island of Corvo), a reception center or a home, preventing children from leaving their own island;

• Remodeling the large homes for young people - known for boarding, replacing them with equipment having the host family for 10/12 users, which provides a more human, more customized education and therefore better personal development and well-being for the young;

• All children and young people with disabilities, have specific sites, no longer need to stay locked at home in sub-human conditions;

The routines of life of children and young people promote their development from the point of view emotional, social, motor, intellectual and emotional level. So, what is needed is to define policies and which, on an ongoing basis to improve on these routines in the day-to-day life, as has been done by governments the responsibility of the Socialist Party / Azores.

The multidimensionality of the area requires a combination of various efforts in a speech which must be increasingly regionalized. Therefore, the articulation between the authority and all social organizations working in the area, with particular reference to Local Authorities, Private Institutions of Social Solidarity, non-governmental organizations, not to mention his own family, it is essential that the designs and develop an effective plan of action that would prevent and combat situations of children and young people in danger.

Horta, Session Room, September 19, 2003

Regional Socialist Party Maria Natividade Luz

Grupo Parlamentar do Parido Socialista (Açores)

267. VILA REAL: Inform the younger population on prevention in oral health

Built in 2002, the Clinic of Dentistry Dr. Daniel Azevedo (Qt. St Iria Lt. 6-Lj 1 Vila Real 5000-722 VILA REAL Phone.: 259327004) has been growing, with new expertise and contributing to improving the quality of care provided in the municipality of Vila Real. Inform the younger population on prevention in oral health is increasingly important.

Aware of this reality, Daniel Azevedo is developing a project together with local authorities, which relates to screening in schools and at the same time, motivate the children to the importance of prevention. "Initially this project will be done only with the schools of Vila Real, and later be extended to the whole county."

According to our interviewee, in the last ten to 15 years dentistry has undergone many changes, particularly in terms of materials. "The materials are becoming more advanced, giving greater security to doctors, for it can be solved more quickly and quality problems of users. This is very important for people to stop being afraid of going to the dentist, "waging a daily struggle to combat the phobia of visiting your dentist and slowly we have achieved great results at this level, which is very important, especially if given that ten percent of the world population is totally toothless. Our trip to the schools will also contribute greatly to the children stop being afraid of going to the dentist, then they will themselves encourage parents to take better care of their dental hygiene, because oddly enough, many Portuguese still do not know What is a toothbrush. "

In oral health, the most frequent problems in terms of prosthesis fixation. Although at first glance this seems very simple, turns out to be complex, because users who have this problem end up not getting a nice relationship with others, become more depressed and isolate themselves from society. "We wanted enough to solve such problems. Today is starting to be a change of mentalities and the implants are becoming increasingly in demand."

Contrary to popular belief, sometimes it is easier to rehabilitate a patient who had an implant than one that has an extraction, "which got three to four hours the user get out of here with my teeth fixed and ready to chew," it said . On the other hand, Daniel Azevedo advice to parents of children that they should begin to brush their teeth since very young, and to consult your dentist in order to familiarize them with doctors and with their own dentists. "By maintaining a daily dental hygiene from an early age can avoid more serious problems in the future."

The Clinic has established protocols with the Medis, with Caixa Geral de Depósitos, with the SAMS Quadros and with Visavital. The latter protocol was established about a year and, according to our interviewee, is having very positive results, "because it is an insurance policy that greatly reduces the cost of any dental treatment."

The cost of dental care continues to be one of the factors that most people away from doctors. "It's difficult for us to work around this problem, because the cost of the materials are very high due to its quality, as someone who values the quality has to use better materials and of course this increases the cost to the customer. So it is that we try to present several solutions, such as financing and insurance with which we work."

Daniel Azevedo admits he tried to establish protocols with other institutions, which was not possible because they have sufficient providers in the region. "We face an increasing demand for some health subsystems. I believe that the needs of these people are not being taken into account. On the other hand, is an injustice to the young professionals who come into the market with more timely and concepts which can not provide a response to being denied the convention, which ends up determining some treatments.

The investment in space, materials and equipment required a major financial undertaking. The Clinic has acquired all the equipment necessary to develop the best possible job. "Today, we are aiming primarily at the level of material we put into the mouth of users, because that is what gives us more immediate results. In terms of equipment, the differences are many brand to brand. I think that always accompany the technological developments and the moment there is nothing on the market to justify the purchase of new equipment. My dream, since I created the clinic, was to end with the drill, but it is not yet possible. There is a laser treatment that replaces the drill, but only in very specific and does not justify spending a copious enough money in equipment to treat an estimated one percent of situations."

The future should be always at the forefront in terms of technological developments. Daniel Azevedo also states that in the months of October or November, along with other professionals in the country, will steer a course in dentistry in the area of implant. This course will be held at the clinic and is intended for all practitioners who want to start in implantology.

Motor

266. Disclosure of other blogs and sites

The friend reader knows other blogs and sites relating to health and especially about oral health? National or foreign, in any language?

Use e-mail tempogero@gmail.com to make their suggestions.

265. Regional Study on oral health in school-age population shows improvement in health care

The regional secretary for Social Affairs chaired, in Angra do Heroísmo, the public presentation of the Regional Study of Prevalence of Oral Diseases in the Population Educated in the Azores, which started in 2006 by the Executive and which shows a reduction in the incidence of dental caries in Azorean youth. According to Domingos Cunha, the document that will be delivered to all schools and health units of the Azores, clearly demonstrates that the measures implemented by the Government of the Azores and supported by the Working Group on Oral Health, resulted in favor of oral health".

Integrated in the Regional Oral Health, the study, prepared by dentists Ricardo Cabral, Madalena Mont´Alverne and Artur Lima, covered 517 children from six, 12 and 15 years, examined in schools and health centers in all the islands, and been proven to reduce the rates of dental caries in young populations of the Azores. Praising the "judicious work, methodical, with scientific and clinical support" a team led by screening, the regional secretary highlighted the regional characteristics of the study: "first, was done by professionals who are active in the region, and second, is the first directed study in the area of oral diseases; third is a study that goes from Santa Maria and Corvo".

The minister also recalled the "pioneer" of the region in this sector, having created the Bulletin Single Oral Health for the users of the Regional Health Service, through Decree No. 93/2005 of 29 December.

In the presentation of research, Dr. Ricardo Cabral stressed that the Azores are the only regions of the country that holds 25 thousand visits per year, also having a "single policy for reimbursement." The investigator said that, under this project, is already prepared the Regional Study of the Determination of Fluoride in drinking water that is intended to cover the 154 municipalities existing in the Azores.

Currently, there are 108 dentists in the Region, 15 of which are integrated into regional health centers and 14 fellows, seven of them with degree completion.

Canal de Notícias do Acores.Net

* * *

For when the placement of a multidisciplinary team of oral health professionals in each of the groups of health centers in Portugal? For when the creation of a hierarchy which will include the provision of oral health care in the country, finally established the link between family doctors, schools, homes and families and the structures of oral health state and private nurseries in the existing country? There will be technical enough to line ministries with the ability to establish these recommendations?

Just the policy loose and having no connection with reality on the ground that the governments have been toast for years, follow up, instead, a public policy toward people because they pay taxes and need to they are provided health care.

264. Minister available to discuss possible extension of the Oral Health Program

Health Minister, Ana Jorge, criticized the "pressure" of the Dental Association for the enlargement of the National Oral Health Promotion, but expressed willingness to discuss with partners the possibility. 'The dentist made a proposal, we can analyze, but the dentist can not, of course, do what I almost say it's a pressure on the Ministry of Health [to extend that program], "said Ana Jorge .

The president of the Dental Association, Orlando Monteiro da Silva, met with the President of Portugal, has addressed the issue of the National Oral Health Promotion, which entered into force on 1 March, which involved placing a dental checks to pregnant women and elderly beneficiaries of the solidarity supplement. The president welcomes the initiative, but defends its extension to children, people with diabetes to holders of special diseases.

In response, Health Minister said that the current program already has been "a big step" to help two groups most in need, and argued that it should now gain experience and see what happens this program, but expressed willingness to discuss the possible expansion. "We are ready, together with partners, discuss what you can do, 'he said, stressing, however, that it must set priorities.

"Let's see if this will be a priority or not," said Ana Jorge, in Viana do Castelo, the margins of the First Congress on Lifestyles of Health Promoters.

Destak