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THE Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is planning to implement the 'Beautiful Smile' project at all health centres by the end of the year after the success of the project at 19 health centres.
The project aimed at raising awareness of oral and dental health and reducing dental caries in children. It has benefited more than 100,000 children since 2015.
PHCC Oral Health Division Director, Dr Asmaa al Khatib, said that the 'Beautiful Smile' project is one of the first in the region and is being implemented by the Oral Health Division to raise awareness of the importance of oral and dental health for children and pregnant women and reduce the rate of very high decay and oral diseases among young people.
She pointed out in a press statement on Monday that the project targets children from birth to 12 years of age as well as pregnant women in order to provide them with preventive and therapeutic services, adding that about 10,3641 children and 917 women benefited from the project since its launch in 2015 until February this year.
She explained that the most important services provided by the project are counselling and support for future mothers, as 61 percent of Qatari women suffer from gum diseases and infections, as well as the service of examination and treatment of teeth for pregnant women, and preliminary examination of mouth and teeth for children.
She pointed out that 89 percent of Qatari children have tooth decay and the project is obliged to provide medical care to change the situation.
The first step of 'Beautiful Smile' project is to educate pregnant women about the dangers of dental caries and to clarify the importance of proper nutrition for her and her child during and after pregnancy, and to highlight the risks of gingival diseases on the health of the pregnant woman and her foetus, which may make them susceptible to premature birth.
Dr Khatib said that the oral and dental examination was added at the vaccination clinic for all babies and that if there is caries, these cases are referred to Beautiful Smile clinic and the dentist will treat these cases and provide various other treatments. (QNA)
