World Cavity Free Future Day
“Uniting to stop cavities, fighting for a healthier future.”
*The main goal of Alliance for a cavity-free future (ACFF).
ACFF is a worldwide panel of experts in dentistry and public health who have joined together to stop caries and pledged to make the world cavity-free.
World cavity-free future day (WCFF) was started on 14 October 2016 by ACFF to focus on tooth decay with each age group and generation with different challenges and needs for best oral care.
Dental decay or dental caries is the oldest and common non-communicable disease in the world, especially amongst young children. Dental caries is caused by the bacteria present on the tooth surface due to excessive sugar intake, which over time, eats away the tooth structure and make holes in it causing cavities.
Who is at Risk?
A beautiful saying by Stanley Victor Paskavich-” If you have more cavities than you have teeth, you have led a sweet life.”
Do not let the cavities grow. Sugar consumption is the biggest issue globally. Dental caries doesn’t develop in the absence of dietary sugars. It’s not that only a little extra sugar causes caries but a lot of us are taking it far more than we realize, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic when we are working from homes and snacking between meals. That’s why global awareness campaigns such as WCFF Day are so important.
You will be astonished to know that globally, 100% of adults have tooth decay and oral disease affecting 3.9 billion people worldwide. The ACFF said, 44% of the world’s population has tooth decay. 60-90% of children are affected by caries and 30% of adults between the age of 65-74 around the world have no natural teeth.
WCFF Day is ‘a wake-up call’ to those who can make social, economic and political changes in achieving a cavity-free future. This campaign encourages conversation among adults, children and seniors about how we can best look after our teeth and prevent tooth decay.
In Canada, statistics show that 57% of children 6-11 years olds and most of the adults have dental decay and they are unaware that the early stages of cavities can be prevented and controlled. Each year, there’s a new campaign theme that brings together communities across the globe with events like free oral care consultation, professional webinars, school-based educational programs and free oral consultations.
Alliance Cavity-Free Future Goals
Goal 1
Every child born in 2026 and after should be cavity-free during their entire life.
Goal 2
ACFF will work to ensure that 90% of dental schools and dental associations accept the new approach of caries prevention to improve dental caries.
Goal 3
It will work with more organisations to help in reducing caries inequality globally.
Goal 4
ACFF and all the members and partners should work to promote caries prevention and management systems.
To achieve all these goals, every person- Dentists, health professionals, schools, public, country and its leaders should join hands to spread awareness about caries and the actions taken to control it.
Why World Cavity- Free Future Day?
WCFF sends the message to everyone- “Help us to help you keep cavity-free. “
This campaign breaks down the barriers in local communities and encourages people to provide them with all the resources to care for their oral health.
Along with Canada, Australia and New Zealand ACFF are also promoting the importance of water as a choice instead of drinking carbonated drinks, fruit juices. Drinking too many soft drinks, fruit juices cause consumption of excess calories and sugars. Hence, there’s a great need of replacing sugary drinks with water and two portions of fresh fruits daily to decrease the chance of becoming obese, reducing the risk of diabetes and helps in preventing tooth decay.
Main Focus of ACFF Every Year
2016
This was the year of launching the campaign worldwide to spread awareness about oral health with the help of members and supporting organisations.
2017
Helping children at home: After the success of WCFF Day’s first year, the campaign was extended by making resources available for home use that would help children to focus on their oral health.
2018
WCFF Day focused on 3 cavity-free commandments for keeping your teeth cavity-free and healthy.
- Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
- Reduction in sugary food intake.
- Regular visits to your dentist.
2019
The Campaign focused on spreading awareness for parents and caregivers about oral care and sugar consumption for under 2-year-olds.
2020
Focused on tooth decay as a disease affecting all types of age groups. This campaign included the *Smiles Across Generations* video competition in which the participants have to submit a 30-second video to raise awareness for a cavity-free future. The video’s main requirement was to shoot people of all age groups talking about their oral care.
2021
Help us to help you keep cavity-free.
KEYS OF ORAL HEALTH:
▫️Floss daily, it helps.
▫️Brush twice after meals with fluoridated toothpaste.
▫️Regular follow-ups with dentists.
▫️A proper balanced diet with a low intake of sugary foods and drinks and encouraging ‘water’ as the drink of choice.
Dear readers!
The tooth is unable to repair itself. Cavities can only be removed by dental treatment.
Never forget, if the treatment is delayed, it would become more expensive.
People of all ages should learn to prioritise their dental health.
Just a simple discussion on how we can take care of our teeth can spread awareness and help all the generations to achieve a cavity-free future.
No one can take your smiles away when dental decay is kept miles away!
Deepak Kansal
I am a Dental Professional, Acquainted Content writer and creator, Imparting valuable dental knowledge through trickycare.com and working towards making a difference. Any information provided on the Trickycare platform is for general information only and does not constitute professional advice.
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