A national advisory committee on oral hygiene is to be set up in Cyprus as part of the health ministry’s strategy to promote health and prevent illness, and at the same time bridge the gap in access to quality services, Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides said on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference to mark world oral hygiene day, Charalambides said this year’s slogan was “oral hygiene a priority for all ages” and aimed at cultivating awareness around the fact that oral hygiene was linked to general health and affected physical, mental and social wellbeing.

He added that programmes to promote oral hygiene and dental care were being implemented through mobile dental units in primary schools in cooperation with the education ministry.

Charalambides also congratulated the group of children from the Rizokarpaso and Elenion primary schools, who were present at the press conference, for their participation in an art competition and a pilot programme to promote brushing their teeth.