CURRENT ORAL HEALTH STATUS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Philippines Reports from a National Oral Health Survey in the Philippines reported urgent needs with 97.1% of 6 year-olds with dental caries and 84.7% with symptoms of dental infection. An index to identify treatment revealed no treatment was provided for the 4,050 children examined, representing the 12 million public elementary school population of the Philippines. Twenty percent of 6 year-olds and 16% of 12 year-olds reported pain or discomfort in their mouths. Another recent study in the Philippines examined 1,200 schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years. The overall prevalence of caries was 92.3%. The primary dentition showed 71.7% prevalence while the permanent dentition had 68.2%. Untreated decayed teeth dominated the scores reflecting the high level of unmet treatment needs. In the Northern Philippines, a study of 993 children aged 2 to 6 years reported a Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index (DMFT) caries prevalence from 59% (4.2 DMFT) to 92% (10.1 DMFT). Caries was diagnosed using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Only obvious frank cavitation was recorded as caries. The authors stated that caries rates were similar to those of developing countries with untreated lesions dominating all ages. Dental Care About 92.4% of Filipinos have dental caries or tooth decay and 78% have periodontal disease according to the National Monitoring and Epidemiological Dental Survey in 1998 (DOH, 2005). In terms of the decayed, missing, filled teeth index (DMFT), the Philippines ranked second worst among 21 WHO Western Pacific countries. Dental caries and periodontal disease are significantly more prevalent in rural than in urban areas as more dentists practice in urban settings.Only tooth extraction and dental check-ups are free if and when materials and dentists are available in public facilities. PhilHealth does not cover dental health benefits. Oral health is still not a priority of the government, international agencies, lawmakers, communities, families and individuals in terms of financial support, human resources for health, and partnership and collaboration. This has fragmented dental health programmes and has caused poor oral health outcomes over the years. The decision to access oral health care is largely personal and most Filipinos pay for such services out-of-pocket. In 2003, the National Policy on Oral Health was formulated and disseminated as a guide in the development and implementation of oral health programmes. It is focused on health promotion, preventive, curative and restorative dental health care for the population. Oral health services are being integrated in every life stage health programme of the DOH.

Abstract With an annual population growth of 2.71 per cent per year the government is harnessing all available resources so that every Filipino can enjoy a decent way of life. Since the majority of the population is in the rural areas, priority health services are directed towards this particular segment. Because of meagre income among the rural population all health services are given free, except for major operations, medicines and dental procedures such as the construction of partial and full dentures, porcelain restorations, root canal therapy and major oral surgery. Older people in the rural areas still adhere to their beliefs and traditions to alleviate the pain of toothache, particularly in the areas which cannot be reached by dentists. Because their fees are minimal the services of quack doctors/dentists and faith healers are still sought. In the Philippines, although dental health services have been given a low priority by the government, preventive dental health programmes are being implemented throughout the country. These include mouthrinsing with sodium fluoride solutions, supervised toothbrushing withfluoride toothpaste and the use of fluoride-containing varnish and fluoride tablets. Water fluoridation exists in two pilot areas and there is an intensive dental health education campaign. Indigenous health workers augment the inadequate dental manpower in attempting to attain and maintain the global indicator for oral health, which is 3 DMFT on average for age 12 years old. Filipino Very little published information about oral health beliefs or practices is available for Filipinos. An early report [63] from the Philippines noted that information and values regarding general health as well as oral health are usually passed on from the elders in the family. A more recent work reports that among more modern, affluent or urbandwelling Filipinos this source of information is supplemented, even supplanted occasionally, by knowledge learned in school, and from reading and classes related to child rearing and Lamaze [6]. Migrant Filipinos residing in Saipan, Micronesia indicate that parents' (mostly the mother) fear dental treatment without anesthesia, and personal negative experiences in the dental office prevented them from seeking care for their children [6]. Among the low-income Filipino population especially, however, cost rather than fear was the most common reason for not seeking professional dental care [6].

DENTAL COSMETICS AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Teeth Whitening Whiten discolored or stained teeth with the latest and safest technology. GAOC uses plasma arc blue light technology that activates a specially formulated gel to whiten teeth.

Restorative Dentistry (Fillings) Treat dental caries (cavities) with amalgam or tooth-colored (specially made to match the color of your teeth) fillings.

Restorative Tooth Bonding Restore damaged or misshapen teeth with composite resins. Close tooth gaps and chips or eliminate spots and discolorations with restorative tooth bonding. Also used for tooth lengthening, and/or tooth recontouring and shaping. Dental composites made of silicon dioxide or quartz, bound with a tough synthetic resin, is blended to achieve different shades, toughness, and translucencies to match your teeth.

Veneers (Laminates) Coverings for or misshapen teeth. Veneers (laminates) made from ceramic or resin materials are used to cover the front surface of discolored, damaged, cracked or brokendown teeth.

Crowns (Caps), Bridges and Dentures Coverings of the tooth made from ceramic, porcelain or metal composites (a blend of different kinds of metal alloys) used to protect damaged, cracked or broken-down teeth. Bridges are made up of two dental crowns anchored on strong, healthy teeth. Dentures, either partial or full, are used if bridges are not suitable nor possible for a patient. Gum Recontouring Enhance the appearance of a "gummy" smile by sculpting and shaping excessive and uneven gum tissue.

Dental Implant
Dental implants are man-made replacements for natural teeth. Implant dentistry is safe, relatively painless, and can provide you with a bright new smile.
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Dental Spa
We offer Dental Spa package to suit your dental needs and experience a different relaxation and a brighter white smile beyond comparison.

Plaque and Tartar Having your teeth cleaned professionally every six months, or more frequently as recommended by your dentist or hygienist.

Cleaning in between Teeth Individuals vary greatly in their susceptibility to plaque and tartar. For many of us, these deposits build up faster as we age. Fighting tartar is a life-long component of oral care.

Dentures (Plastic & Porcelain Dentures)

Crowns & Bridges When teeth are heavily decayed they may be too weak to survive with just a filling. By placing a crown, a tooth may be given a new lease of life. Even when a single tooth is lost a denture may not be required as a bridge can be made which spans the gap with a tooth attached to those next to the space. The final crown is shaped as much as possible like the natural tooth to look and feel good. It is attached with special dentalcements. A bridge allows the dentist to replace lost teeth without the use of a denture ordental implant.

Unbreakable / Flexible Dentures The denture base material used is flexible and is claimed to be a virtually unbreakable material by the manufacturers. Being flexible allows the denture to avoid transferring stresses on to the adjacent teeth and tissues

thus minimizing the trauma of having a partial denture. The color of the denture base matches with the oral tissues to perfection and eliminates the use of metal clasps as in other partial dentures.

Orthodontics

A branch of cosmetic dentistrythat corrects and straightens misalignment of teeth which helps achieve a beautiful winning smile, healthier teeth and gums, better food digestion and generally a better feeling about oneself.read more >>

Teeth Whitening

Using the latest teethwhitening technology, this procedures utilizes whitening machine combined with safest medicaments which exceedingly results to a guaranteed whiter smile in 30 minutes. read more>>

Cosmetic Restorations

Cosmetic Cosmetic Dentistry includes the treatment of your teeth to give it a naturally beautiful smile.

Temporary Filling This is the most commonly used temporary material. When you have a small hole in the tooth, and the filling placed so that it is at least 4mm thick, it could last at least a few months before it washes out by dissolving and wear from saliva and eating.

Light Cure Filling

advantages over silver fillings. These are: - It is tooth coloured - It bonds to the tooth surface - Its strength is much more than silver amalgam

Light cure composite resins have certain

- Life of a resin filling is much more than silver amalgam. Filling of teeth requires one sitting. It is a painless procedure. If tooth decay is not treated and allowed to spread the pulp of the tooth is destroyed which then needs root canal treatment that is longer and more expensive than a filling.

Sealant / Fluoride for kids

Childrens Teeth Sealants are a safe, painless and low cost way to protect your child's back teeth from decay. A thin layer of sealant is bonded to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. The sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny growers in the teeth and causing decay.

Preventing Tooth decay Fluoride works by hardening the enamel to make the enamel of the teeth harder and more resistant to decay that forms on the sides and in-between teeth. Tooth decay is the destruction of tooth structure and can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin layer of the tooth.

Surgery

Impacted Teeth have been defined as those whose eruption is partially or wholly obstructed by bone or other teeth. Practically any tooth may become impacted. The teeth are impacted most frequently are the upper lower 3rd molars (wisdom teeth), followed by the upper canines and the lower premolars. The cause of impactions is more theoretical than factual. It seems probable that heredity-such as transmission of small jaws from one parent and large teeth from the other-may be an important etiological factor in impaction.

Gum Treatment
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Proper Teeth and Gum Care The early stages of gum disease can often be reversed with proper brushing and flossing. Good oral health will help keep plaque from building up. A professional cleaning by your dentist or hygienist is the only way to remove plaque that has built up and hardened into tartar. Your dentist or hygienist will clean or "scale" your teeth to remove the tartar above and below the gumline. If your condition is more severe, a root planing procedure may be performed. Root planing helps to smooth irregularities on the roots of the teeth making it more difficult for plaque to deposit there. By scheduling regular checkups, early stage gum disease can be treated before it leads to a much more serious condition. If your condition is more advanced, treatment in the dental office will be required.

Periodontal (Gum Disease) Periodontitis is the stage when the infection spreads from the gums to the underlying bone. In this stage bone that supports the tooth is lost. Signs that may warn you of trouble are: spaces begin to appear between teeth, loosening of one or more teeth, vague aching, itching, or other discomfort in the gums.

RCT / Endodontic Treatment

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Root Canal Treatment With newer techniques and the latest advances in the field of Endodontics, the task of root canal is much simplified. Whenever any tooth gets decayed, the bacteria reach the nerve crossing all hard barriers like enamel and dentin. Once it attacks the nerve, then that shooting, pulsating pain and those sleepless nights. Now the only treatment is to remove the infected nerve from the tooth. For patients, root canal therapy is one of the most feared procedures in all of dentistry; however, dental professionals assert that modern root canal treatment is relatively painless because the pain can be controlled. Pain control medication may be used either before or after treatment.

SAFETY OF DENTAL COSMETICS AND INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS

What is Deep Sedation/Analgesia?

Deep sedation is an even higher level of sedation where the patient is clearly sedated and may only respond minimally to very significant stimuli (such as high levels of pain, etc.) or may not even respond at all in some cases.

What is unconscious sedation?

Unconscious sedation is a controlled state of anesthesia. It is characterized by partial or complete loss of protective nerve reflexes, which includes the ability to independently breathe and respond to commands. With unconscious sedation, the patient is unable to cooperate, has fluctuating vital signs, prolonged recovery room convalescence, and a higher risk of anesthetic complications.

Risks
With deep sedation, the patient is not easily aroused but responds purposefully to painful stimulation. Other risks may include the patients inability to maintain a patent airway and the inadequacy of spontaneous ventilation.

What are some clinically relevant contraindications to sedation?

The relevant contraindications are the following:

conditions where there is an increased risk of pulmonary aspiration the possibility of airway obstruction or respiratory irregularities raised intracranial pressure, or other conditions where increased PaCO2 could be harmful conditions wherein the respiratory center is desensitized to carbon dioxide renal or hepatic dysfunction that may alter drug kinetics unpredictable drug effect, as sedatives may heighten restlessness