In recognition of Oral Health Month, the Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, and the Chief Dental Officer, Joy Pickstock, spoke about the importance of dental health and reducing sugar intake at yesterday’s press conference on the steps of City Hall.

The theme for Oral Health Month is “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body”, with a focus on promoting No Sugar Day on Tuesdays for February.

Ms Wilson spoke about raising awareness and the prevention of dental caries, also known as tooth decay or cavities.

“As a preventable ailment, it is crucial to take further action to eliminate the morbidity that it causes. And it’s no surprise that excessive sugar consumption is the main cause of dental caries,” Ms Wilson said.

“Untreated dental caries in permanent teeth is the most prevalent condition among all human diseases and it affects more than 2.5 billion people,” he added.

Dr Pickstock also spoke about No Sugar Day Tuesdays.

“Every Tuesday in the month of February, we want you to remember to have little — I’m not going to say no, and be realistic about it, but I’m going to say no sugar on Tuesdays. If you can help us with that, we will fulfil the goals to reduce caries and reduce non-communicable diseases in Bermuda,” she said.

Dr Pickstock, who is originally from the Bahamas, took on the role of Chief Dental Officer about seven months ago.

David Kendell, the director of the Department of Health, also made some comments during the conference and noted Ms Wilson as being a champion for health.

Staff from the dental health department were also on hand, including eight dental assistants, two hygienists and two dental health educators.

Kenzo Riley, 13, from Dellwood Middle School, Zara Shakir, 10, from The Clara Mohammed School and Lilly Amaral, 10, from Mount Saint Agnes Academy, presented poems about oral health.

While raising awareness of oral health remains at the forefront of the Government’s agenda, information provided on its website notes a six-to-eight-month waiting period for dental procedures at government health centres.

“Regrettably, there is a shortage of medical practitioners worldwide, and dental officers is certainly one of them. So, we are actively recruiting and looking to be able to provide further services,” Ms Wilson said.

Dr Pickstock added: “We have no males in the department. When I came in, there was one, and prior to now, there have been like one, and one, and one. It’s very difficult now. In the dental schools now you have more females than males that are entering dental schools and most of them that enter when they come out they are not into public health, they are into the private sector.

“It’s a problem of trying to get manpower on the whole, but especially male power in the health sector. Now, you are even finding positions which are mostly female as well. So, it’s a whole demographic change that is going on in health. More females are going into the profession than males.”