(Finance) – It has just left at the Metro 5 Punto Lilla – Jerusalem stop – in Milan on Buzzi Foundation project “Children’s Smiles” aimed at 3- and 4-year-old children from a selection of infant schools in the Municipality of Milan, for oral hygiene education against caries in an age phase in which the prevalence and intensity of the pathology it is still low and such that it can be prevented. With the same objective, accompanied by a dental visit and possible therapies where necessary, the initiative is also aimed at children of other ages identified by the QuBi` networks.
The diseases of the oral cavity are largely preventable but a large part of the population, especially those with socio-economic-cultural fragility, – explains the Foundation in a note – still falls ill, even in childhood, from tooth decay and inflammation of the gums. Demand for dental LEAs exceeds supply, which fails to fulfill the provisions of government guidelines on prevention. Consequently, those who can turn to the private sector, but a good portion of the population, for economic and cultural reasons, renounces prevention and dental therapy. Diseases of the oral cavity are largely preventable through correct oral hygiene and food habits, but in Italy there are no oral health promotion and prevention programs that can be used by the population. One consequence is that even today there is a high number of caries in children, especially in pre-schoolers. Education in healthy eating habits is also important in the prevention of overweight, obesity and metabolic diseases.
The literature indicates that children most affected by caries often belong to socio-economically more fragile contexts. In Italy more than 90% of the expenditure for children’s dental care is borne by families and the data show that such expenses are cut in families during periods of economic crisis (as in the current pandemic period). Children from the most disadvantaged sections of the population therefore often do not have access to dental care – with important consequences for their physical, emotional and relational health.
In order to improve knowledge on the protective habits and risk factors of the main diseases of the oral cavity and systemic, the first objective of the project, thanks to the collaboration of tutors, teachers and students of the University of Milan, is to teach children and their parents how to brush their teeth and eat properly during the day, through a role-playing game and the delivery of information material, at the M5 Jerusalem space.
The QuBi` project by Fondazione Cariplo, through a series of territorial networks, it undertakes to support children and young people whose families are in poverty in the city of Milan. The second objective of this project is to offer the children belonging to the QuBi` networks a dental visit, which will take place in a dedicated outpatient clinic, in addition to the aforementioned oral and food hygiene instructions.
Finally, all families will be invited to fill in a questionnaire on your eating and oral hygiene habits, on their experience with any diseases of the oral cavity and related therapeutic pathway.
On the occasion of the “Children’s Smile” event, organized by the Buzzi Foundation, Metro5 presented Lilly, the new Mascot of the Lilla Metro Line who traveled on the train for the occasion and met the children present in the Metro. Thus it continues partnership between Metro 5 and the Buzzi Foundation to support social activities. In addition to Punto Lilla, in the stations of the line there are, in fact, six other realities supporting the well-being of citizens (medical and psychological centres). Punto Lilla enjoys the visibility of over 10,000 passengers entering or leaving Jerusalem Station, a significant portion of the 140,000 daily users of Metro 5.
“We are aware of the need to create a space for pediatric dentistry, given the great demand and the importance of oral care for everyone, and we will try to achieve this in the Nuovo Grande Buzzi” he said Alessandro Visconti, general manager ASST FBF SACCO.
“A mosaic of collaborations that brings together institutions, universities, businesses and the third sector, united for the promotion of health for all boys and girls, with the possibility of starting paths of prevention and treatment for those it is more fragile – underlines the deputy mayor and councilor for education Anna Scavuzzo –. Together in a place that welcomes the boys and girls of our schools and kindergartens, where you can play with them and together teach that taking care of your teeth and mouth is a good and healthy habit, important from an early age. Another element that once again links the commitment to food to that of health promotion: getting used to good and healthy food and together with the care of the teeth and oral cavity contributes to everyone’s well-being. Thanks, therefore, to all the partners and to the Buzzi Foundation, with whom we have been collaborating effectively for years now to improve the good habits that educate the little ones to become adults who are aware of taking care of their own health”.
“Metro 5 was once again alongside the Buzzi Foundation, to inaugurate the launch of the ‘Children’s Smile’ project at the local site in the Jerusalem station which is now a point of reference for the various initiatives aimed at health of the little ones. On this occasion, the mascot of Line 5, Lilly the mole, was presented for the first time, who welcomed the children present at the station – declared Serafino Lo Piano, CEO of Metro5 –. The collaboration with the Buzzi Foundation was born in 2020, when the stations were empty and the hospitals full, at that time we decided to offer the space in the Jerusalem stop (adjacent to the Buzzi hospital) at the service of families and citizens”.
(Photo: davit85 | 123RF)