By IANS
New Delhi : With an eye to creating a world record, over 145,000 students from more than 350 schools brushed their teeth simultaneously in 23 cities across the country in an initiative to promote good habits for oral health.
As part of the event, jointly organised by the Indian Dental Association (IDA) in collaboration with Colgate Palmolive (India) Limited, 5,000 students from seven schools in the capital came together and brushed their teeth at the playground of the Kalka Public School here Tuesday morning.
In Delhi a total of over 15,000 students from 31 schools took part in the ‘Brush Up Challenge’.
“Up to 90 percent people in our country have some or the other oral problem. Most of us do not even brush our teeth properly and visiting the dentist for regular check-ups is a far cry,” IDA secretary general Ashok Dhoble told IANS.
IDA president M.C. Mohan added: “If we take care of our oral hygiene, 95 percent of oral diseases are preventable. Through this initiative, we want to create awareness among people about oral health and hygiene.”
The event is set to break the existing Guinness World Record.
“The current record is of 41,038 people, held by the Philippines and India is ready to smash the record by miles,” cheered Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, who is also the brand ambassador of Colgate MaxFresh.
Participants received dental health packs containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, bottled water and a container for rinsing. Dental professionals associated with IDA guided them about the right way to brush.
The month of October is observed as the Oral Health Month (OHM) with the theme of ‘Mission Zero Tooth Decay’. Over 8,000 dentists are expected to participate in the fourth edition of the initiative, which will cover 175 cities and 250 villages across the country.
“This year we are attempting to break the record and hope to succeed in our endeavour to draw people’s attention to the importance of oral hygiene and brushing right,” explained Prabha Parameswaran, vice-president (marketing) of Colgate Palmolive (India).