641. More than 173,000 people receive dental checks since January

More than 173,000 people have received dental checks since January, with the largest share of beneficiaries to be the children of 7 to 13 years, according to official figures from the Dental Association. In the first five months of the year, 173 259 people received dental checks, with a total utilization rate of around 65%, but ranging from 24% to 15 year olds to 85% in patients with HIV / AIDS.
The main beneficiaries are children aged 7, 10 and 13 years in public schools, which already received more than 120,000 checks to use in dental treatment in private clinics. Since the program began in 2008, about 1.9 million users had access to dental checks, with which they were performed more than 6.5 million treatments.

This National Program for Promotion of Oral Health covers children and young people who attend public schools at 7, 10, 13 and 15 years of age and followed pregnant women in public services, seniors who receive the solidarity supplement and people with HIV / AIDS. Since the program began, the number of beneficiaries has been steadily increasing, surpassing the 413,000 last year, with more than 633,000 checks issued and 408,000 actually used.

According to the president of the Dental Association, the program data also show that the severity of the lesions treated has been steadily decreasing, which meets the objectives. About 60% of interventions correspond to preventive procedures such as application of sealants (protecting the cracks of the teeth against tooth decay), with the incidence of cavities to provide significant reductions in children, "the main target" program.

The Dental Association argues, however, that the program be extended to diabetics, remembering that it is a group with additional risk for oral health problems. For the president, Orlando Monteiro da Silva, in the current economic situation of the country should be considered to extend the program to additional risk groups such as diabetics. For this, da Silva Monteiro stresses that an increase of the program's budget, even remembering that there are about one million diabetic diagnosed in the country.

Although the issue of the funds needed to extend dental checks be a decision of the Ministry of Health, the president believes that it is an investment that allows for cost rationalization. There is a huge relationship between diabetes and oral health. Diabetes needs to be controlled to have a good oral health and vice versa. good control of oral health, particularly of the gums and the bone is necessary, so that diabetes is not exacerbated, he told the Lusa news agency.

Recently, the Health Regulatory Authority questioned the universality and equity in access to dental checks, noting that left out children who attend private schools and pregnant not followed in public services. At present there are 3305 dentists to collaborate with the program, which reaches more than 5,500 clinics and offices across the country.

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