THATTA, March 2: Eighty-two per cent children are infected with dental diseases in the Thatta district because of open sale of betel nut, gutka, pan, biri and mainpuri. This was stated by the oral health services wing of the district health department in a report compiled by a team of dental surgeons here on Thursday.

The team suggested that if strategic health measures were not taken, children would continue to suffer from rapid dental decay.

The team said that children’s oral hygiene condition could only be improved when there would be complete ban on sale of betel nut, gutka, pan, biri and mainpuri.

Team leader Dr Keshudas said that school health service programme had been introduced in 80s during the period of the then Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo but later it was suspended in the interior Sindh by the health department.

He said that in Thatta district it had been reactivated with the efforts of EDO (health) Dr Hafeezul Haq Memon to educate school-going children.

He said the team visited several government, semi-government and private schools.

During its repeated visits to the Shah Latif Public School, Makli, Army Public School, Thatta, Centre for Rehabilitation of Child Labour, Heaven House School, Government High School, Government Boys Higher Secondary schools in Thatta and many others, it observed that only 28 per cent students were comparatively free from bacterial dental diseases.

Most common dental carries 44.46 per cent periodontal diseases like gingival bleeding.

Dr Keshu said the team was still on regular in contact with some 1,030 students of selected schools to check the outcome of its efforts.

He said that only 13 dental surgeons were working at different health facilities while 51 health facilities of the district lack dental care services, besides only five dental clinics were operating in the private sector.

The report said that out of 1,030 students, 700 were in practice chewing betel nut, 10 gutka and 10 pan.

He said that oral sub mucous fibrosis was common disease, particularly in growing students.

The report said that growing consumption of betel leaf, betel nuts and its by-products, mainpuri, gutka, tobacco containing pans, biri and cigarette by elders was major inspiration for youth to follow them.

The report said that 80 per cent of oral cancerous lesions were attributed to betel nut and relevant items.

The report said that Chuhar Jamali, Jati, Mirpur Sakro, Thatta, Sujawal and Mirpur Bathoro, Daro were hubs of pan and betel nut trading.

According to a survey, nine talukas of the district are having more than 8,000 pan cabins, a highly beneficial business.

As a result, village women and haris have become habitual of using gutka and mainpuri.

People, who call themselves elected representatives of the district, have ignored the menace and never talked about banning chewing habits.

The report suggested regular classes in schools about oral health, mass motivation and official ban on betel leaf, mainpuri and gutka.