Dental care and oral hygiene largely remains an undiscussed topic, with few people aware of the risks associated with poor dental hygiene. The National Oral Health Care Programme, which falls under the care of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), stated that despite the fact that several dental diseases have been burdening the country in the last three decades, little attention has been paid to tackling these issues. Tooth decay, dental caries, and periodontal diseases have been noted to be high among the Indian population, and yet oral care is ignored so often.
“When it comes to oral hygiene, very few people are aware of the basics. People still don’t know about the basic brushing practices, much less anything else. So when they do come to us, it’s usually when they are presenting with a larger problem,” explains Chennai-based dentist Dr Padma Alluri. She notes that with regard to oral cancers, very few people are aware of the symptoms.
