UKM in favour of dental labelling
KUALA LUMPUR: Denture labelling could be the way forward in the identification of fully-edentulous patients with no teeth to guide in forensic examinations, said Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Faculty of Dentistry senior lecturer and prosthodontist Dr Natasya Ahmad Tarib.
Speaking at the The Polident “Eat, Speak and Smile with Confidence” educational forum, Dr Natasya said UKM was in support of dental labelling, and dentists should be required to label dentures with details, including their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) number and country of origin.
Dr Natasya said some of the challenges faced by denture wearers included how well their dentures fit in their mouths and how to ensure the cleanliness of the dentures, which could have a significant impact on their comfort and oral health.
However, with the right understanding of denture care and education, denture wearers could be more confident, she added.
She said of the Malaysian population, 10 per cent wear dentures and on average some wear their first denture as early as 38.
The forum brought together experts, denture wearers and members of the media in an interactive session, which encouraged attendees to speak openly about their experiences living with dentures and the daily challenges they faced.
The event aimed at exchanging denture-wearing solutions and addressing the physical and emotional issues affecting denture wearers.
Malaysian Dental Association president Dr Ng Woan Tyng said despite the encouragement from dentists and peers, many denture wearers were reluctant to open up about the challenges they faced living with dentures.
“Besides fearing that dentures would affect the way they look, a common concern they have is that dentures will affect the way they speak and eat. However, dentures are an important tool for the wearer as it functions as a set of teeth would. They allow people to enjoy food without restriction, as well as help us feel confident because it fills up the spaces in our mouths, thereby restoring facial appearance.”
In conjunction with GSK celebrating its 60 years of building healthier communities in the country, Marketing Manager Oral Care, GSK Consumer Healthcare Sdn Bhd Alycia Tan said, it was delighted to collaborate with the Malaysian Dental Association to provide denture wearers with free denture check-ups in July at participating clinics.
Dr Ng said 3,000 out of the 5,000 clinics, which are members of the Malaysian Dental Association, would be offering free denture check-ups.
For a list of the clinics, visit https://www. polident.com.my.
Additionally, as a continuation of its “Eat, Speak and Smile with Confidence” initiative throughout July and August, GSK would give denture users a chance to try its Polident products with its Polident Money Back Guarantee programme nationwide, said Tan.
Polident offers denture care products that are formulated to provide a firmer hold and cleaner dentures to improve the comfort and oral health of people who wear dentures or partials.
The Polident range of low-abrasive denture cleaners kill 99.9 per cent of odour-causing bacteria and its non-abrasive formula cleans dentures without scratching its surface pores thus preventing bacterial growth.
Its denture adhesives are formulated to improve denture comfort by holding dentures tight for up to 12 hours, sealing out irritating food particles.