I rejected several offers to do tobacco adverts: legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar

Mumbai: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday extoled the importance of having good oral health, which according to him reflects overall health.

Sachin told Maharashtra government’s oral hygiene campaign ‘Swachh Mukh Abhiyan’ (SMA) that fitness is important to achieve goals in life.

The campaign was launched in an event attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The 50-year-old former cricketer said that when he started playing for India, he refused several offers to do advertisements for tobacco.

Sachin followed his father’s advice of not to promote tobacco products.

Stressing the importance of oral health, he said ‘Good oral health is good overall health’.

After he was fascinated by cricket, Sachin said, he became aware of the need to be ‘disciplined about my fitness since I realised that it won't be possible to achieve your goals if you are not fit’.

Acknowledging that fitness today has become a trend he added it should not be about looks alone but mental fitness and oral hygiene is equally important.

Sachin pointed out despite fifty per cent of children suffer oral disease impacting their lives, nobody is bothered about it.

The oral hygiene campaign is being carried out nationally by the Indian Dental Association (IDA) to educate Indians about importance of oral hygiene.