UNAIR NEWS – Although the Covid-19 pandemic continues to plague, this limitation does not prevent the Student Executive Board (BEM) of Faculty of Dental Medicine (FKG) Universitas Airlangga to be present among the community. On Saturday, July 24, 2021, the Dentistry Charity XII webinar was held to educate the general public about the importance of the oral cavity as a window to our body health.
In the online event, a lecturer from the Department of Oral Medicine FKG UNAIR, Meircurius Dwi Condro Surboyo, drg., M.Kes. was present to provide insights into maintaining oral health.
According to drg. Meircurius, many still think that the oral cavity contains only teeth. “In fact, the oral cavity contains teeth, tongue, gums, and periodontal tissue that must not be overlooked,” he explained.
Therefore, added drg. Meircurius, people must not ignore the problems found in the oral cavity. Various forms of diseases or symptoms that appear in the oral cavity can be a sign of health problems in the body.
“Problems in the oral cavity can occur due to dental trauma, mistakes in brushing teeth, bad habits, sleep disorders, or even wrong diet,” explained drg. Meircurius.
In the case of canker sores, for example, if there are only one or two sores, it could just be an ordinary one. However, if they appear more than that, the canker sores may be caused by systemic factors such as diabetes, autoimmune, drug reactions, allergies, and viral infections.
This sign also applies to other parts of the oral cavity such as lips, mucosa, gums, teeth, tongue, and so on. Thus, drg. Meircurius himself encouraged the webinar participants to start maintaining oral health.
Some simple steps should be taken to maintain oral health such as using toothpaste with fluoride, brushing teeth at least twice a day, using mouthwash, and scheduling regular check-ups with the dentist every six months.
“If we have done them, but there are still problems in the oral cavity, it’s better for us to immediately see a dentist so that the cause and the right treatment are immediately found,” he suggested at the end of the session.
The webinar, which was held online and free of charge, is one of the efforts of BEM FKG UNAIR to encourage community service activities during the pandemic.
Following the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the fields of Education and Health, the community service activities include a series of teleconsultation, international webinars, elementary dental education, Instagram live, open donation, and maternal education. (*)
Author: Intang Arifia
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh (YA/AP)
