Bad teeth, bad breath can’t make students smile, Campus news: Options

[Ek-ek]

Bad teeth, bad breath can’t make students smile
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 10/08/2004

Ashamed of bad teeth and bad breath, public school students have not been smiling as much as other children, according to a survey conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The survey of the DepEd’s School Health and Nutrition Center (SHNC) showed more than 65 percent of about 17 million public school students are suffering from dental problems, particularly caries.

Dr. Thelma Guerrero-Santos, SHNC director, said caries are rotten or decaying teeth that could cause bad breath.

Dental caries can be avoided if the students brush their teeth regularly, she added.

It was learned that the SHNC survey involved the medical examination of up to 12,408,205 public school students to determine their most common ailment.

Dental caries is said to bother 68.70 percent of those examined.

Next to dental caries was pediculosis — known colloquially as

"kuto" — which afflicts about 11.61 percent of them.

Third is nutritional deficiency, which afflicts 7.18 percent. and fourth is tinea flava or "an-an," which bothered 3.39 percent.

Santos said it was apparent from the findings that the main health problems of students were grooming and nutrition.

Santos said the DepEd will hold a three-day School Health and Nutrition Summit in Baguio City starting Oct. 11.

The conference will assemble all doctors and dentists in public schools to apprise them of the need to focus on dental health and nutrition awareness, she added.

Santos said representatives of United Nations agencies and the World Health Organization will be invited to speak on health and health education matters.

"This is to underscore the importance of consolidating multi-sectoral initiatives for a concerted action to broaden the scope of the integrated school health and nutrition program, and make it more effective and responsive to the children’s health needs and concerns," Santos said.

[kim_kayie]

KUTO!hahahaha

now that im jobless... my pastime is "kutuhan ang mga pamangkin kong gala sa kalye!"hahahahaha!!!!

[Ek-ek]

I see? Anyway. there are a lot of jobless in our area too!

[kersten]

the only thing we could do is to teach our siblings/children to brush their teeth regularly regardless of the status in life.

[dalawapo]

whats up with dental higene education? i wonder about sex ed as well...

[Ek-ek]

The problem is lack of financial help from the governmnet