This World Oral Health Day, we want families to take charge of their oral health to prevent oral diseases, thus protecting their general health. Good habits, such as brushing twice a day for two minutes, are so important in looking after your mouth, teeth and gums. Sixty to ninety per cent of schoolchildren and almost all adults suffer from tooth decay worldwide3, so it is more important than ever to instil good brushing routines early on in life. At Philips, we want to encourage preventive healthcare habits with our Sonicare innovations, which can lead to better long-term oral health, and very importantly, better overall health and wellness.
Muhammad Ali Jaleel
Country Manager, Philips Malaysia
Sugar is a leading risk factor for tooth decay, and 60% to 90% of schoolchildren worldwide have dental caries4. Tooth decay is the most common disease in children and has a significant impact on a child’s health and wellbeing. Like other bacterial infections, tooth decay can worsen if left untreated.
Sugar is a leading risk factor for tooth decay, and 60% to 90% of schoolchildren worldwide have dental caries5. Tooth decay is the most common disease in children and has a significant impact on a child’s health and wellbeing. Like other bacterial infections, tooth decay can worsen if left untreated.
For Dr Bala Saravanan, Director of The Dental Academy Malaysia, one area of concern in his nine years as a dental practitioner is tooth decay in young children including babies - known as early childhood caries or ECC. ECC is caused by dietary habits whereby young children aged five years or younger consume high levels of sugary foods and drinks, including frequent feeding with sucrose-containing infant feed, especially at night6.
“ECC can be prevented if parents reinforce good oral hygiene practices at a young age. The earlier the issue is addressed, the less extensive and invasive the oral health treatment will be. Parents often forget that good oral healthcare starts from age 0 onwards. For example, parents who are still feeding their infant at night need to ensure that the infant drinks water to rinse off the sucrose residue from their feed, and make sure to clean the infant’s gums and teeth by rubbing a clean, damp washcloth along their upper and lower gums,” Dr Bala shared.
“Philips is all about enhancing consumer experiences with innovative technology, with the aim of improving the lives of 3 billion people a year by 2025. Toothbrushes, such as our Sonicare DiamondClean, can help you perfect your brushing technique through sensors. With the Sonicare For Kids toothbrush and app, children can discover how to brush properly on their own. The app syncs with your child's sonic toothbrush via Bluetooth to show proper brushing techniques and track performance. Such data-driven technology and insights can help you and your family make the right choices to protect your oral health and give you more of a professional clean in your own home,” Ali elaborated.
Philips Sonicare aims to raise awareness of the importance of preventive measures, such as regular check-ups, for better long term overall health and wellness.
Philips Sonicare is a Global Partner of the FDI World Dental Federation and is the official power toothbrush sponsor of World Oral Health Day 2019.
For more information about Philips Sonicare, please visit www.philips.com.my/c-m-pe/ohc-platform or become a fan on www.facebook.com/PhilipsHomeLiving.my
1 The Challenge of Oral Disease – A call for global action. The Oral Health Atlas. 2nd ed. Geneva. FDI World Dental Federation, 2015 www.fdiworlddental.org/resources/oral-health-atlas/oral-health-atlas-2015
2 Institute for Public Health Malaysia, National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015 Fact Sheet www.iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2015-FactSheet.pdf
3 FDI World Dental Federation, 2018, Oral Healthcare Worldwide www.fdiworlddental.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2015_wohd-whitepaper-oral_health_worldwide.pdf
4 FDI World Dental Federation. Sugars and Dental Caries: A practical guide to reduce sugars consumption and curb the epidemic of dental caries. Geneva, FDI World Dental Federation www.fdiworlddental.org/sites/default/files/media/resources/sugar_toolkit-fdi-2016.pdf
5 FDI World Dental Federation. Sugars and Dental Caries: A practical guide to reduce sugars consumption and curb the epidemic of dental caries. Geneva, FDI World Dental Federation www.fdiworlddental.org/sites/default/files/media/resources/sugar_toolkit-fdi-2016.pdf
6 Management of Dental Caries by MOH www.moh.gov.my/penerbitan/CPG2017/8298.pdf
7 Oral Health www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.
December 01, 2020
