Need to create awareness about oral health in rural areas stressed

Bengaluru: Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K.Sudhakar on Tuesday stressed the need for creating awareness among rural people about dental health.

Speaking to the media on the occasion of International Dentists Day at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru, he said that people in several countries go for dental check-up at least twice a year. But in rural areas in India people visit the dentist only when the pain gets terrible. "There is a lack of awareness regarding dental care in India, we need to create awareness about this especially in rural areas," the minister said.

"Rural people are still using charcoal powder. We have very low dental treatment costs compared to other countries. People should make use of this to keep their dental health in good condition," Sudhakar further said adding that Indian medicine system is the oldest in the world. "The practices adopted such great ancient Indian traditional ayurvedic doctors as Charaka, Kanada, etc., are still relevant today. I am happy that senior Dentist Dr.S.Ramachandra is honoured at this event."