GUAGUA, Pampanga — At least 1,900 day-care children from different villages in this town have benefitted from the dental health services offered by the Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial Hospital (DPMMH).
Dr. Joseline Mascarenas Ponio, head of the Ancillary Department of the DPMMH, led the distribution of dental kits and fluoride application to pupils of the Guagua Central Elementary School here Tuesday.
Ponio, concurrent provincial dental supervisor, said the DPMMH regularly holds this activity for the past eight years that it has become part of their community extension program.
“It is also part of the social responsibility of DPMMH to the people of Guagua as the district hospital is situated in this town,” she said.
Prior to this, the day-care children beneficiaries underwent pre-screening and dental checkup to assess their oral fitness.
The children likewise received toothbrushes for the first phase of the oral dental checkup.
“The second phase is fluoride applications, and the third phase will be the curative treatment such as tooth extraction and restoration, which is ordinarily being done at the DPMMH,” she said.
Ponio noted that only 60 percent of children worldwide have access to oral care, and seven out of 10 Filipinos and 20 percent of six-year-olds have never visited a dentist.
“This is the reason why 87 percent of Filipinos and 78 percent of 12-year-old children suffer from tooth decay. Seventy-four percent of the 12-year-old children have gingivitis because of poor oral hygiene. Aside from this, 98 percent of 3- to 5-year-old children have dental cavities,” she said.
Ponio said toothache is the most common ailment of children and is the primary cause of absenteeism among school children.
Municipal Social Welfare Development officer Marybeth Ortiz said she was thankful that the DPMMH chose the day-care children of Guagua as beneficiaries of the program.
“We are closely coordinating with the parents of the day-care children to raise awareness not only in dental health but also their overall welfare,” she added. (Joel Mapiles/ PNA)
