Smokers warned to stop or lose teeth

Smokers beware! You are advised to stop if you love your teeth.

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) for 2015, an estimated five million smokers in the country are at risk of losing their teeth and gum disease due to the habit.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said it was a serious warning more so with the number of smokers in the country still on the increase.

To address the problem, he said the government had taken the initiative to assist smokers to quit the expensive habit at 500 clinics nationwide.

He was speaking to reporters after opening the national-level Ikon Gigi (iGG) programme in Ayer Keroh here today. Also present were Health deputy director-general (Public Health) Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman and Ministry of Health Oral Health Division principal director Dr Noor Aliyah Ismail.

iGG is a programme that stresses involvement of volunteers from various age groups and backgrounds to act as facilitators to increase awareness on dental health.

The National Oral Health Survey for Adults in 2010 had found nine of 10 adults in Malaysia suffered from some form of gum disease. -- Bernama