Caroline Castañeda

Oral Health Program

Introduction:
In the Philippines, the main oral health problems are dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal
disease (gum disease). These two diseases are widespread that 92% of our people are suffering tooth
decay and 78.0% have gum disease.
In terms of decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) Index, Philippines ranked second worst among
21 WHO Western Pacific Countries. Dental caries and periodontal disease are observed to be
significantly more prevalent in rural than urban areas.
The Philippine Dental Association in 1998 survey resulted that 88.4% of respondent dentist
claimed that their practice were in urban areas, 10.9% in suburban centers and 0.7 in rural.
With this, the delivery of basic oral health care became the responsibility of the local
government under the Local Government Code of 1991. Oral Health is inadequately integrated to the
national health care system of the country and there is no currently sustainable basic oral care service
being adopted.

Goal:
Reduce the prevalence rate of dental caries and periodontal disease from 92.0% in 1998 to
85.0% and from 78.0% in 1998 to 60.0% by end of 2010 among general population.

Objectives:
1. To increase the proportion of Orally Fit Children under 6 years old to 80% by 2010.
2. To control oral health risks among the young people.
3. To improve the oral health conditions of pregnant women by 20% and other persons by 10%
every year until 2010.

Basic Package Of Oral Health Care:

The following are the basic package of essential oral services/care for every lifecycle to be
provided in all health facilities including schools or at home.

Stages of Life Types of Oral Services

Mother (pregnant) •Oral examination
•Oral prophylaxis
•Permanent Fillings
•Gum treatment
•Health education
Neonatal and infants under 1 year old •Dental check up as soon as the first tooth erupts
•Health instruction of infant oral health care and
service on exclusive breastfeeding.
Children 12-71 months old •Dental check up as soon as the first tooth appears
and every 6 months thereafter.
•Supervised tooth brushing drills.
•Oral urgent treatment (OUT)
-removal of unsavable teeth
-referral of complicated cases
 -treatment of post extraction complications
•Application of Atraumatic Restorative
Treatment(ART)
School Children(6-12years old) •Oral examination
•Supervised tooth brushing drills
•Topical Fluoride Therapy
•Pits and Fissure Sealant application
•Oral prophylaxis
•Permanent Fillings
Adolescent and Youth (10-12 years old) •Oral examination
•Health promotion and education, adverse effect
of consumption of sweets and sugary beverages,
tobacco and alcohol.
Other adults (25-59 years old) • Oral examination
•Emergency dental treatment
•Health instruction and advice
•Referrals
Older Persons • Oral examination
•Extraction of unsavable tooth
•Gum treatment
•Relief pain
•Health instruction and advice

Classification of Oral Interventions:

There are classifications of oral interventions that need to be carried out to address oral
problems. These are: 1) preventive, 2.) curative, 3). promotive services.

Preventive services consist of the following measures which will promote oral health and provide
specific protection from the occurrence of dental caries and other oral diseases. There are types of
preventive interventions:
•Oral examination is the careful checking of the oral cavity by duly trained dentist to detect and
diagnosed oral diseases and conditions, oral examinations, and detects sign and symptoms of
Sexually Transmitted Disease-AIDS and other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.
•Oral hygiene is basic personal measure to prevent and control tooth decay and gum diseases.
It includes among others oral prophylaxis, regular and proper way of toothbrushing, gum
massage, eting detersive foods and presence of pit and the use of mouthwashes.
•Pit and Fissure sealant program a non invasive preventive and control measure against tooth
decay for children. Fluoride therapy is best for smooth surfaces but limited where grinding
surfaces are concerned owing to the presence of pit and fissures on the surfaces.
•Fluoride Utilization Program a non invasive nd control measures through multiple use of
fluorides areas where fluoride content is low. Fluoridation can be done in systemic and local
route.

Curative/Treatment services these are remedial measures applied to halt the progress of oral disease
and restore the sound condition of the teeth and supporting tissues. It includes:
 •Permanent filling which is the restoration of savable teeth with amalgam, composite or glass
filling materials.
•Gum treatment is the deep scaling and root planning of affected tooth or teeth for pregnant
mothers and older person with periodontal.
•Atraumatic restorative treatment is one form of permanent filling for priority target groups by
manually cleaning dental cavities with fluoride releasing glass ionomer restorative materials.
•Temporary filling is the treatment of deep seated tooth decay with zinc oxide and eugenol.
•Extraction is the removal of unsavable teeth to control foci of infection.
•Treatment of post extraction complication such as dry sockets and bleeding.
•Drainage of localized oral abcesses-incision and drainage.

Promotive services include health education activities directed to the priority groups thru individual or
group approach using affected tools and media.