Oral Health Day: Doctors advise on early diagnosis
By Kemi Olatunde
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As a way of ensuring good healthy living through the maintenance of adequate oral hygiene, the people of Ondo State have been advised to visit the dentists for early detention and diagnosis of diseases.
Ondo State Chairman, Nigerian Dental Association, Dr. Bobola Babatola gave the advice while speaking with The Hope during the 2019 edition of the World Oral Health Day at the Dental Centre headquarters, Oke Eda, Akure on Wednesday.
According to him, early diagnosis gives room for quick and necessary intervention which goes a long way in preventing unnecessary damage to individual’s health.
Dr. Babatola who noted that the day has been set aside to create advocacy and awareness about oral and dental health explained that it also aimed at drawing attention on oral health and total wellbeing of people.
He noted that the association deemed it fit to expand the scope of this year’s event a bit so as to create awareness of the various dental care centres across the state.
Addressing the gathering, a Chief Dental Officer, Dr Olaniyi Akindele who noted that a lot of things that go wrong with the body can be detected through the mouth, explained that dental problem should be treated from pregnancy to adulthood.
Speaking on the theme; “Say Ah act for Mouth Health”, he stressed the need for people to carry out things on their own saying ” dental care requires self care.”
Cautioning people against the belif that dental problem is an ageing problem, he said “most people don’t brush their teeth regularly and appropriately. Brushing of teeth should be done twice a day, that is morning and evening and also they should visit the dentist once or twice a year for early detention and prevention of diseases like diabetes, hypertension, HIV etc.”
While commending government for various dental care interventions, he appealed that government incorporate dental services into the Primary Health Care.
Speaking earlier, Chief Dental Surgeon, UNIMED Teaching Hospital, Dr. Mrs Folasade Akinwande noted that the day provides the platform for dental health workers to relate with themselves and also with patients, both in formal and informal settings.
Speaking on the theme as earlier mentioned, she described the mouth as the gateway through which food and nutrition get into the body saying “what you take into the mouth determines your health status.”
However, she stressed the need for people to make dentists their friend and added that children should also be exposed to dentist’s activities.
She said; “as soon as children start erupting their first teeth, they should be introduced to the dentist. Some people believe that they shouldn’t wash their mouth which is not so.
” Once dental care is part of the system of a child, he goes after it and saves them from a lot of pain and embarrassment.
At the event, 169 people benefited from the free dental screening of the programme.
