Chandigarh, July 3:- Haryana Health Minister Smt. Aarti Singh Rao has directed all government health centers of the state to conduct "Free Oral Health Screening" of pregnant women. She said that taking an important step towards strengthening and expanding maternal health care, oral (mouth/teeth) health check-up has been made mandatory for every pregnant woman visiting all health centers of the state on Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Matritva Abhiyan and e-PMSMA days.
The Health Minister said that the main objective of this unique initiative named 'Muskaan Se Matritva Tak' is to detect dental and gum problems occurring during pregnancy in time and provide them with proper treatment, so that the health of both the mother and the newborn can be improved. The Health Department has appealed to all pregnant women and their families to actively participate in this initiative so that the future of every mother and child can be safe and healthy.
Mrs. Aarti Singh Rao described it as a historic decision of the government and said that during pregnancy, various hormonal and physical changes occur in the body of women. Due to these changes, the risk of oral health problems like gum disease (gingivitis) and tooth decay increases significantly.
The Health Minister cautioned that not taking care of oral health during pregnancy or being negligent in it can lead to serious consequences like premature birth (pre-term birth) and low birth weight of the baby. In such a situation, regular oral check-ups identify these problems at an early stage, which makes it easier to provide treatment and advice at the right time. He appealed to all the expectant mothers to avail the free oral health screening service available at government health centres on the 9th, 10th, 23rd and last working day of every month.
Dr. R. S. Dhillon, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Haryana, explained about the implementation of this initiative at the ground level that under this campaign, basic oral health screening of all pregnant women coming to the antenatal clinic will be done by trained health workers. If any woman needs special dental treatment, she will be referred to the nearest government dental treatment centre for further examination and treatment.
Dr. Dhillon said that strict instructions have been issued to all the civil surgeons of the state for smooth functioning of this system so that there is better coordination between the antenatal care teams and the dental teams and the beneficiaries can get health services without any hassle. Along with this, health workers will also educate pregnant women about the importance of maintaining oral hygiene, proper brushing techniques, nutritious diet and timely dental treatment during pregnancy. They have also clarified that routine dental check-ups and treatment during pregnancy under medical supervision are completely safe.