India, March 21, 2017: In a bid to improve awareness on oral health care, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Faggan Singh Kulaste launched the National Dental and Oral Information Interactive (IVR) portal here on Monday.

According to the Ministry, awareness on oral hygiene is important as oral diseases are becoming the leading health problems and are attributed mainly to rapidly changing lifestyles, wide-spread use of tobacco and increased consumption of alcohol.

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"Oral health is integral to overall health of a person and will contribute to the all-round development of the nation," said Kulaste, during the launch on the occasion of World Oral Health Day.

As part of the initiative, the minister also launched Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material.

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Speaking on the occasion, Health Secretary C. K. Mishra said: "Oral diseases are becoming the leading health problems and attributed mainly to rapidly changing lifestyles, wide-spread use of tobacco and increased consumption of alcohol. Due to prevalence and incidence, oral diseases pose a major threat to public health." (IANS)