An action carried out last Thursday (28) by the Compliance Commission of the Legislative Assembly of Rio (Alerj) in Largo da Carioca, in the Center, identified a worrying situation regarding oral health in Rio de Janeiro. The survey carried out by the collegiate body counted 426 missing teeth among the 67 people examined during the activity.
The action, coordinated by Congressman Carlos Minc (PSB), president of the commission, was promoted in partnership with dental surgeons and specialists from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). According to the group, the idea was to publicize and monitor compliance with State Law 8.206/2018, which provides for free dental care in the public network. Copies of the legislation, oral hygiene kits, and a list of public units that provide dental services were also distributed.
The survey conducted by the panel also found 179 decayed teeth among the participants. Among the cases that caught the team's attention were that of a 28-year-old woman who had more than 20 decayed teeth, that of another, 34 years old, who had already lost six teeth, and that of a 65-year-old woman with total tooth loss.
In addition to the identified dental problems, the team found five cases of lesions suspected of being oral cancer, equivalent to 7,4% of those treated. The patients were referred to UFRJ for evaluation and biopsies.
“Lack of care not only causes cavities, but can lead to serious problems such as mouth and throat cancer. At the end of the initiative, 67 people were seen, and five suspected cases of oral cancer were identified. These patients were referred for treatment at UFRJ,” stated Carlos Minc.
This activity is part of a series of actions carried out by the Compliance Commission to verify the application of the legislation. According to Minc, when the first inspections related to the law were carried out, there were only four free dental care centers in the Metropolitan Region. According to the parliamentarian, this number has now reached approximately 80 units.
In addition to expanding access to dental care, the legislation also provides for educational and preventative actions in oral health in schools. According to Minc, the commission has partnered with specialists from UFRJ to train public school teachers and expand the dissemination of information about oral hygiene and prevention among students.
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