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Tag: oral health

  • Why you should brush twice daily

    Why you should brush twice daily

    Based on the recommendation from the American Dental Association and from various renowned dentists, it is very important to brush your teeth twice every day- in the morning and before going to bed. This is the first step towards good dental hygiene.

    When you brush once in a day, you allow the food particles to accumulate in your mouth and stay there for over 24 hours. Also, during that period,you might have come in contact with germs and when the germs linger for too long in your mouth,it can lead to dental issues. 

    It is very important for you to take good care of your dental health as it improves your overall health to a large extent.

    Below are some of the reasons why you should ensure you brush your teeth twice daily:

    It helps to properly take off the food particles and stains from your teeth.

    It effectively eliminate harmful germs on the teeth which ultimately reduces the risk of decay. 

    It helps to prevent bad breath. Bad breath is caused when the germs on your teeth and the tiny food particles trapped in them stay longer that it should.

    It is very effective in the maintenance of oral health.

    It helps to get rid of the bacterial infections that weaken the gum.

    It protects your gums from diseases and infections. The less you brush,the more damage you expose your gums to.

    All of these are many more are very important for a good oral health hygiene. Also, ensure you use the soft bristles toothbrush, clean your tongue, stay hydrated and visit a Dentist for check ups from time to time.

    Ensure you take good care of your dental health.

  • Firm deepens oral health awareness, targets 10 million children

    Firm deepens oral health awareness, targets 10 million children

    As part of initiatives to deepen awareness of oral health care in Nigeria, Pepsodent, a prominent global toothpaste brand, has initiated a dental health campaign named “Talk to A Dentist” in collaboration with the Nigerian Dental Association. The campaign aims to reach 10 million children by 2025, with its launch beginning in schools and communities across Lagos.

    Speaking during a press conference to herald the commemoration of the 2024 World Oral Health Day, Marketing Head – Beauty & Well-Being and Personal Care, Unilever Nigeria, Oiza Gyang, expressed the campaign’s motive to promote good oral health hygiene among children, emphasising Unilever’s commitment to combatting poor oral healthcare in Nigeria. Gyang highlighted the link between oral care diseases and absenteeism among school pupils, underlining Pepsodent’s efforts to reverse this trend through targeted initiatives. “Globally, about 3.9 billion people suffer from one oral health condition or the other with tooth decay being the most prevalent oral disease. It has been established that children with poor oral health are more likely to suffer self-confidence and self-esteem issues. These days, we have since realised that the highest cause of school absenteeism is as a result of oral diseases,” she said.

    In her welcome remarks, Category Manager, Oral Care at Unilever Nigeria, Eva Ogudu, outlined the campaign’s objectives to achieve zero cavities through consistent twice-daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste like Pepsodent and regular dental check-ups. She emphasised the initiative’s broader goal of democratizing access to dental care, including free dental camps to eradicate oral diseases. Ogudu reflected on past successes, noting the significant impact of previous campaigns in reaching millions of children and providing essential dental health services to thousands of Nigerians. She underscored the ongoing collaboration between Pepsodent and the Nigerian Dental Association in advancing oral health education and accessibility nationwide.

    Pepsodent’s “Talk to a Dentist” campaign was launched three years ago in collaboration with The Nigerian Dental Association to promote oral health education by sensitising Nigerians on the importance of visiting a dentist. “In 2022 alone, we were able to reach 1 million children. In 2023, we took the awareness campaign a notch higher as the brand, in collaboration with NDA, reached 2 million children. Besides, we also provided free dental health checks for 50,000 Nigerians. In addition, we also reached 30 million Nigerians indirectly through the distribution of Pepsodent to various households,” Ogudu said.

    Also speaking, Head, Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business, Unilever Nigeria, Godfrey Adejumoh, noted that the ‘Talk to a Dentist’ campaign embarked upon by Pepsodent remains one of the numerous initiatives outlined by Unilever Nigeria to improve people’s health, confidence and well-being. Adejumoh reiterated the company’s commitment to using its business to become a force for good in society.

    Read Also: Ministry, NDA partner Pepsodent on oral health

    In his remarks, the President of the Nigerian Dental Association, Dr. Tope Adeyemi, disclosed that about 90 per cent of the world’s population are more likely to suffer from oral diseases in their lifetime. Adeyemi stated that Nigerians must cultivate low cost preventive practices such as brushing of teeth twice daily with fluoride containing toothpaste, visitation of dentist as well as the adoption of healthy lifestyle to prevent common oral diseases. “The Nigerian Dental Association is also celebrating the World Oral Health Day 2024 in conjunction with Unilever Nigeria Plc by carrying out various oral health promotional activities nationwide. These oral health promotional activities includes; visits to schools, religious centres and markets; outreaches (free dental check-up, S&P, GIC filings, simple extractions) to various communities; oral health awareness walks, educational programmes; advocacy visits and awareness through the mass media and social media channels, etc.,” he said.

    He urged the Federal Government to integrate oral health services into the primary health centres, stating that doing so will reduce the burden of common preventable oral diseases as well as save costs for dental expenditure. “Currently, oral care services are mostly accessed as a secondary level of care in the NHIA. The NDA calls for preventive oral care services such as scaling and polishing of teeth, fluoride therapy, simple dental fillings, dentures and simple tooth extraction to be included in primary care of the NHIA,” he added.

  • Experts to parents: Ensure children’s oral health

    Parents have been told not to neglect the oral healthcare of their children. This was the call by experts in oral/dental health unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, as it marked this year’s Children Day.

    According to the Head of Department (HOD), Orthodontic Clinic, LUTH, Dr (Mrs) Ifeoma Utomi, tooth decay; caries, and bad breath are very common oral problems among children, which are preventable conditions.

    Dr Utomi said Tooth decay refers to the loss of minerals from tooth structure caused by bacteria and proper dental care can take care of.

    She explained: “Caries, or tooth decay, is a preventable disease. While caries might not endanger your child’s life, they may negatively impact the quality of life. When teeth and gums are consistently exposed to large amounts of starches and sugars, acids may form  to eat away at tooth enamel.

    “Carbohydrate-rich foods such as candy, cookies, soft drinks and even fruit juices leave deposits on children’s teeth. Those deposits bond with the bacteria that normally survive in the mouth and form plaque. The combination of deposits and plaque forms acids that can damage the mineral structure of teeth, with tooth decay resulting.”

    Bad breath called Halitosis can also be prevented by brushing two times daily. Also, flossing helps prevent the buildup of food particles, plaque and bacteria in their mouth.

    Food particles left in the mouth deteriorate and cause bad breath; consistent bad breath may be a sign of gum disease or another dental problem, “bringing them to the clinic early enough is the right step to take”. He said: “Our focus for having this party is to further create oral health care among the children, who are drawn from staff children and patients.”

    A lecturer at University of Lagos College of Medicine (ULCM), Dr Chioma Nzomiwu, said children are easy to teach, so parents should train them early in their childhood on how to take care of their oral health.

    “Children’s common dental problems are cavities, caries and plague. The teeth, bones and soft tissue of the mouth require a healthy, well-balanced diet. A variety of foods from the five food groups helps minimise (and avoid) cavities and other dental problems. Most snacks that children eat cause cavities, so children should only receive healthy foods like vegetables, low-fat yogurt and cheeses, which promote strong teeth.

    “Too much sugary foods expose and endanger children’s teeth to cavities (hole in the tooth). Dental care in children should start right from childhood. Normally the first tooth erupts between ages six to 12 months. Gums are sore, tender and sometimes irritable until the age of three. Rubbing sore gums gently with a clean finger, the back of a cold spoon or a cold, wet cloth helps soothe the gums. Teething rings work well, but avoid teething biscuits-they contain sugar that is not good for baby’s teeth,”she said.

    Dr Nzomiwu said while a baby is teething, it is important to monitor the teeth for signs of baby bottle decay. “Examine the teeth, especially on the inside or the tongue side, every two weeks for dull spots (whiter than the tooth surface) or lines. A bottle containing anything other than water and left in an infant’s mouth while sleeping can cause decay. This happens because sugar in the liquid mixes with bacteria in dental plaque, forming acids that attack the tooth enamel. Each time a child drinks liquids containing sugar, acids attack the teeth for about 20 minutes. When awake, saliva carries away the liquid. During sleep, the saliva flow significantly decreases and liquids pool around the child’s teeth for long periods, covering the teeth in acids.

    “Primary teeth are important for several reasons. Foremost, good teeth allow a child to eat and maintain good nutrition. Healthy teeth allow for clear pronunciation and speech habits. The self-image that healthy teeth give a child is immeasurable. Primary teeth also guide eruption of the permanent teeth,” she said.

  • ‘Oral health can reveal onset of chronic diseases’

    PERIODIC visits to dentists for mouth examination have been described as a proactive way to prevent or detect chronic diseases.

    The initiator of the Project Smile dental makeover, Project Smile 4.0, Dr Amy Traore-Shumbusho, said this  was because oral diseases are often linked to chronic disease.

    She spoke during the announcement of more beneficiaries on Project Smile Season Four, as part of activities to mark the World Oral Health Day.

    The theme was: Project Smile 4.0 Smile Alive! It was a free treatment to people with dental defect or flaw problems.

    Dr Traore-Shumbusho said “when one visits a dentist same can easily detect diseases in the body before they progress to chronic stage. This is because the mouth is the gateway to the overall well being of the body.Everything that goes inside the body goes through the mouth,” she said.

    She said this was in addition to the statistics given by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that  globally, 60 to 90 percent of school children and nearly 100 percent of adults have dental cavities.

    “Severe periodontal (gum) disease, which may result in tooth loss, is found in 15 to 20 percent of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults,” she said.

    Dr Traore-Shumbusho said: “Risk factors for oral diseases include an unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful alcohol use. These are also risk factors for the four leading chronic diseases which are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and oral diseases are often linked to chronic disease. Poor oral hygiene is also a risk factor for oral disease. Oral disease in children and adults is higher among poor and disadvantaged population groups.”

    She said risk factors for oral diseases include a poor oral hygiene. “neglecting your dental and oral health, diet, personal habits and tobacco are the main causes of mouth, tooth, and gum problems,” said Dr Traore-Shumbusho.

    She added: “Not many people pay attention to the health of their mouth which we call Oral Health. In the universe of healthcare, oral health has yet to become reckoned with as other fields of medicine. It’s impressive the work that the World Dental Federation, FDI and its country chapters such as the Nigeria Dental Association have been doing to raise awareness, sensitise and influence behaviours towards adopting basic oral hygiene. I wish to use this occasion to reiterate our commendation for their efforts and the World Oral Health Day.”

    To be a beneficiary of the Project Smile dental makeover, Dr Traore-Shumbusho said one must be 18 years and above, “and log on to www.projectsmileng.com to register. The Project Smile 4.0 is an eight-week call-for-entry/call-to-entry.  I call on people who are really in need for dental makeover, those who are affected by dental flaws and have been stimatised all their lives for this. The Project smile will provide a standard Smile Makeover of standard dental care. Contestants must be from age 18 and above. Entry is simply by visiting the Project Smile website to enter the required bio data, picture, and story in no more 360 words.”

    On previous beneficiaries, she said:“The World Oral Health Day is a parallel platform, hence, it serves as our launch pad for the Project Smile initiative as it is a day set aside by the World Dental Federation to give attention to oral healthcare and dental matters and issues on a global scale. As we launch the fourth season, it is pertinent to mention that a total of 17 young men and women spread across the country have become beneficiaries out of which more than 50 percent have completed their smile makeover treatment.

    “Project Smile initiative also aims to align with the ideals of the FDI World Dental Federation through the World Oral Health Day to promote basic oral healthcare and advocate a widespread recognition of dentistry. “Not many people pay attention to the health of their mouth which we call Oral Health. In the universe of healthcare, Oral Health has yet to become reckoned with as other fields of medicine. It’s impressive the work that the World Dental Federation, FDI and its country chapters such as the Nigeria Dental Association have been doing to raise awareness, sensitise and influence behaviours towards adopting basic oral hygiene. I wish to use this occasion to reiterate our commendation for their efforts and the World Oral Health Day.”

  • Experts seek improved oral health

    Dentists have called for more government’s intervention to reduce common dental problems such as gingivitis and carries. These, they said, are common oral problems which almost half of the population currently suffers from.

    They stated this during the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine University of Lagos Idi-Araba.

    Former Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Lagos State College of Medicine Ikeja, Dr Tajudeen Ayodele Kekere-Ekun said oral health is very important to people’s overall health. This, he said, is because some of the problems that occur in the mouth may affect general medical conditions of the body.

    He said failure to take care of the problem of the mouth will result in problems that may cause the teeth to develop some holes.

    Kekere-Ekun said if the dental problem is not treated, it will affect the pulp, which is the living part of the teeth.

    “If nothing is done, it will go down into the root to cause a widespread body infection,” he said.

    He identified some of the challenges of dental health as lack of adequate modern equipment to treat patients, lack of consumables and teaching aids for students of dentistry.

    Besides, there is need for expansion of the infrastructure so that more students can be trained.

    “The population of Nigeria is about 170 million and the ratio between dentists and patients is horrible. Nigeria, at present, has about 3,000 dentists,” he said.

    Kekere-Ekun said there was need for specialisation, adding: “We are doing this but there is a need to do more”.

    Dentistry, he said, is more than the teeth, gum and tongue or mouth, adding that it now involves macillofacialcrania.

    He urged the Ministry of Health to create a directorate for oral health so that dentistry can have greater attention in the scheme of things.

    Kekere-Ekun said more facilities should be provided by various agencies of the federal and state governments to make dental treatment available to the people.

    Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine University of Lagos Dr Godwin Arotiba said 50 years in the life of any man calls for retrospection.

    He shared the same idea with Dr Kekere-Ekun on common dental diseases in Nigeria, urging the government to do something to improve the country’s oral health status.

    He said gum disease is responsible for low sperm count in men while expectant mothers have low preterm babies when they have gum disease.

    He said those who experience bleeding in the gum while brushing may have the disease, adding that people should brush their teeth after meal to remove debris (food particles) from their mouth.

    “More importantly, dental carries and gingivitis should be put on National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.

    Former President, Nigeria Dental Association (NDA) Dr Clement Olojede said the Nigerian Oral Health policy, which was inaugurated in 2012, is not living up to its billing.

    Olojede urged the government to bring key players together to make the policy workable.

    “There are things that should be done for the immediate future, intermediate and long-term. The NDA and other stakeholders should be carried along,” he said.

    He said dental clinics should be made the first port of call for people suffering from dental problems.

    Olojede, who is the Secretary-General, African Regional Organisation of World Dental Organisation, said the government should make dental education more affordable.

  • Experts seek improved oral health

    Experts seek improved oral health

    Dentists have called for more government’s intervention to reduce common dental problems such as gingivitis and carries. These, they said, are common oral problems which almost half of the population currently suffers from.

    They stated this during the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine University of Lagos Idi-Araba.

    Former Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Lagos State College of Medicine Ikeja, Dr Tajudeen Ayodele Kekere-Ekun said oral health is very important to people’s overall health. This, he said, is because some of the problems that occur in the mouth may affect general medical conditions of the body.

    He said failure to take care of the problem of the mouth will result in problems that may cause the teeth to develop some holes.

    Kekere-Ekun said if the dental problem is not treated, it will affect the pulp, which is the living part of the teeth.

    “If nothing is done, it will go down into the root to cause a widespread body infection,” he said.

    He identified some of the challenges of dental health as lack of adequate modern equipment to treat patients, lack of consumables and teaching aids for students of dentistry.

    Besides, there is need for expansion of the infrastructure so that more students can be trained.

    “The population of Nigeria is about 170 million and the ratio between dentists and patients is horrible. Nigeria, at present, has about 3,000 dentists,” he said.

    Kekere-Ekun said there was need for specialisation, adding: “We are doing this but there is a need to do more”.

    Dentistry, he said, is more than the teeth, gum and tongue or mouth, adding that it now involves macillofacialcrania.

    He urged the Ministry of Health to create a directorate for oral health so that dentistry can have greater attention in the scheme of things.

    Kekere-Ekun said more facilities should be provided by various agencies of the federal and state governments to make dental treatment available to the people.

    Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine University of Lagos Dr Godwin Arotiba said 50 years in the life of any man calls for retrospection.

    He shared the same idea with Dr Kekere-Ekun on common dental diseases in Nigeria, urging the government to do something to improve the country’s oral health status.

    He said gum disease is responsible for low sperm count in men while expectant mothers have low preterm babies when they have gum disease.

    He said those who experience bleeding in the gum while brushing may have the disease, adding that people should brush their teeth after meal to remove debris (food particles) from their mouth.

    “More importantly, dental carries and gingivitis should be put on National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.

    Former President, Nigeria Dental Association (NDA) Dr Clement Olojede said the Nigerian Oral Health policy, which was inaugurated in 2012, is not living up to its billing.

    Olojede urged the government to bring key players together to make the policy workable.

    “There are things that should be done for the immediate future, intermediate and long-term. The NDA and other stakeholders should be carried along,” he said.

    He said dental clinics should be made the first port of call for people suffering from dental problems.

    Olojede, who is the Secretary-General, African Regional Organisation of World Dental Organisation, said the government should make dental education more affordable.

  • Experts seek improved oral health

    Dentists are seeking ways of improving Nigeria’s oral health status, as they called for more government’s intervention to reduce common dental problems such as gingivitis and carries. These, they said, are common oral problems which almost half of the populations currently suffer from.

    They stated this during the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine University of Lagos Idi-Araba.

    Former Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Lagos State College of Medicine Ikeja Dr Tajudeen Ayodele Kekere-Ekun said oral health is very important to people’s overall health. This is because some of the problems that occur in the mouth may affect general medical conditions in the body.

    He said failure to look after the problem of the mouth will result in local problems that may cause the teeth to develop some holes.

    Kekere-Ekun said if the condition is not treated, the problem will go deeper into the teeth and affect the pulp, which is the living part of the teeth.

    “If nothing is done, it will go down into the root to cause a widespread body infection,” he said.

    He identified some of the challenges of dental health as lack of adequate modern equipment to treat patients, lack of consumables and teaching aids for dental students.

  • Pepsodent NDA drives oral health awareness in schools

    Efforts to boost oral hygiene among school-age children is proving effective through the Pepsodent Oral Health Schools’ 21-day campaign.

    The programme being implemented by Unilever’s Pepsodent toothpaste brand in collaboration with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and the Federal Ministry of Health, involves visits to about 2,000 primary schools across the nation.

    At the launch of the campaign at Central Primary School, Ikeja, Lagos, Mr David Okeme, Brand Building Director, said the choice of children to drive a programme on oral hygiene was hinged on the fact that the firm believes in their pressure power to convince their parents and others to change once they learn healthy oral habits.

    To stimulate their interest in oral hygiene, he said the Super Dentists cartoon characters (Doctor Dee Dee, Star Smile, Mighty Bite and Bristle) introduced by the firm would help the young ones adopt the habit of brushing twice daily morning and night.

    In addition to brushing with an advanced toothpaste, the Pepsodent Triple Protection 123 would protect against cavities, stains and bad breath; he advised the pupils to floss daily to remove plaque from between the teeth, avoid snacking on sweet or acidic foods and drinks that can cause cavities and wear away tooth enamel, and make regular visits to the dentist for check-ups and advice on oral hygiene routine.

    Underscoring the importance of the campaign, the NDA President, Dr Bode Ijarogbe, said children are more vulnerable to dental cavities because they consume a lot of sweetened food.

    He said: “Children are the ones that have flair for sugar-based products like sweets, cakes, chewing gum, candies, chocolates and even some of the syrups that are taken as medicine. But in this case, we refer to fermentable sugar, that is, sugar that can be acted upon by the bacterial in the mouth.

    “Normally, everyone has bacterial in the mouth and other parts of the body. But as regards formation of cavity, the bacterial in the mouth only becomes very dangerous in the presence of fermentable sugar-based diet.

    The sugar acts as diet for the bacterial and produces a by-product of diluted acid which eventually results in cavity formation, resulting in holes which gradually becomes larger and eventually into tooth ache.

    “And if this is not quickly addressed, it results to severe pain which could lead to loss of manpower at work for adults and school absenteeism for the child. The kids are the major target in this programme because they have more cravings for sweet foods. And when these children adopt the habit of a healthy oral lifestyle, they can then spread the message to their parents.

    Mrs Ukandu Kate, Central Primary School, Ikeja, Lagos, said her pupils have improved on their oral hygiene unlike the past where many of them rarely brushed their teeth.

  • Dentists counsel pupils on oral health

    Dentists counsel pupils on oral health

    The challenge is on by Unilever in collaboration with the National Dental Association (NDA) to change children’s attitude to oral health through a 21-day campaign that would see dentists visit schools across the country with the gospel of twice-daily brushing.

    The campaign is part of efforts to reverse the statistics that nine in 10 tooth decay cases are untreated in Nigeria.

    Unilever’s Pepsodent and Close-Up toothpastes in partnership with the NDA, Ministry of Health and various State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) hopes to ultimately reach 10 million children with its behavioural change campaign by 2020.

    To make the 21-day behaviour change programme interesting, George Umoh, Brand Manager, Pepsodent, Unilever Nigeria said that Super Dentists Comic has been developed along with other educational materials to engage pupils in over 1,000 primary schools nationwide to help them cultivate the habit of brushing day and night and influence members of their families with their healthy oral lifestyle.

    Speaking at the flag-off of the programme in Lagos, he said: “We are targeting children because we believe that kids can change the world and they can use their pester power to make their parents do the same. These products, together with the educational materials that we have designed, are handed over to the kids and for 21-days, our instructors and the school teachers are in the schools to ensure that these kids get proper oral health education and go back home with the same exercise to influence and convince their parents to do the same.”

    This year, Umoh said the aim of the campaign is to reach 600,000 pupils across five states.

    “In the 2015 edition, we will be across five different states in Nigeria and will be reaching about 600,000 students and the programme continues every other year till 2020 when we achieve our ambition to influence and improve the lives of 10 million school children in Nigeria.”

    While counseling the pupils, Dr Dorcas Abu, former president, Nigeria Association of Dental Students, gave the benefits of brushing twice daily with toothpaste that contains fluoride.

    “We should use a medium-bristled toothbrush for adult and soft-bristled toothbrush for children. For smokers and frequent consumers of caffeine, they can use the hard-bristled toothbrush. The importance of brushing twice daily is not about how frequently you brush but the techniques in which you use. You should use the roll technique in which you brush the upper teeth down and the lower teeth up in a roll direction while you brush the chewing surface of your teeth in a horizontal manner,” she said.

    Underscoring the importance of the campaign, Dr Abu said: “It is important to teach children because when you catch them young, it’s like you are teaching the next generation and a nation. It is easier that way because they can teach their siblings, peers and even their parents at home. And as we teach them from now, they will teach their own children because they will grow up with it and in a couple of years we will have a cavity-free world.”

  • City agog for oral health

    City agog for oral health

    It was a day everyone focused on the teeth. The Lagos Osun Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja was the setting. Among the audience were the high and mighty, all making a strong case for better teeth care. The event was the World Oral Health Day (WOHD), which promotes oral health and hygiene amongst Nigerians and creates awareness on the myriad of oral diseases in the country.

    The Senate President and National Oral Health Champion for Nigeria, Senator David Mark, represented by the Deputy Chair, Senate Committee, Senator Gyang Pwajok, was there. So also Health Minister, Prof Chukwu Onyebuchi; Minister of State for Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan; Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Ado Jimada Gana Muhammad; President, Nigerian Dental Association, Dr. Akanbi Olojede.

    Not to be left behind in the business of good oral health for Nigerians were Rector, Federal School of Dental Therapy and Technology, Enugu, Dr Kehinde Sofoluwe; Country Representative, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Rui Gama Vaz; Director -General National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Chris Onyemenam; Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri and Director General, National Agency for Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii.

    The occasion was put in place by the Ministry of Health and UNILEVER Nigeria Plc. Its theme was: ‘Celebrating Healthy Smiles; your mouth says who you are’. Pupils of Model Primary School, Maitama, Abuja and the Africa International College, Abuja campaigned for better oral health for all, even demonstrating how to achieve that goal through proper brushing morning and last thing at night.

    Senator Mark, who is Oral Health Champion, appreciated Unilever’s commitment to the oral health campaign in Nigeria. He charged Unilever with the responsibility to lead advocacy, and be the image maker for oral health through the industry, facilitate and mobilise resources and support the full integration of oral health into general health.

    He used the occasion to also inaugurate other Oral Health Ambassadors across the country from different walks of life. Each of the states of the federation has an ambassador.

    Senator Mark said: “This is an opportunity for us to assemble all stakeholders in oral health to distillate ideas that will bring Nigeria to a pride of place among the committee of nations. The health of the entire body can be affected by oral health so the whole mouth needs to be taken care of for any individual to be in good health. The word ‘oral’ refers to the mouth, which includes the teeth, gums, jawbone and supporting tissues. Oral health is a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancers, oral sores, birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, periodontal disease, tooth decay, tooth loss and other diseases as well as disorders that affect the oral cavity. Risk factors for oral diseases include unhealthy diet, tobacco use, harmful alcohol use and poor oral hygiene. Good oral healthcare habits can prevent diseases in the mouth.”

    He said it is no more news that there is a huge oral health need amongst the Nigerian populace and there is a relatively low dental awareness in the country as research has shown that a large number of people visit the dental clinic because of pain. “This is unacceptable because the onset of pain is an indication that the disease can no longer be remedied with simple therapy. The treatment often required in this circumstance would be too expensive for a low to middle income patient. Sustainable Oral health campaign among Nigerians has therefore become imperative to create awareness on the prevention, early detection and treatment and management of common oral conditions,” Senator Mark said.

    He recalled that he was inaugurated as Oral Health Champion in November 2012 along with a formal launch of a National Oral Health policy. “The policy provides a strategic framework for oral healthcare delivery in the country. Subsequently, I have identified 37 eminent personalities who were inaugurated as State Oral Health Ambassadors on 16th May, 2013 to lead oral health awareness creation in their respective states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). I have also identified other prominent functionaries in various sectors of the Nigerian economy who would be inaugurated today as Oral Health Ambassadors.

    “The Federal Ministry of Health has adopted a community participation approach which involves primary oral healthcare education through promotion of oral healthcare in schools, market places and worship places. Introducing these target groups to good oral healthcare habits would prevent oral diseases and improve outcomes when they do occur. This will lead to better quality of life and improved socioeconomic status of Nigerians,” he said.

    Senator Mark said he has undertaken to scale up the Oral Health Campaign in schools and eventually cover all the schools in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. He said: “Certainly, I would need the involvement of all Oral Health Ambassadors. This campaign will equally sensitize the general public to rise up along with Government to promote good oral healthcare habits. To this end, the Federal Ministry of Health has resuscitated its School Oral Health Programme which is an oral health promotion programme targeted at school children and their teachers.

    “In line with this strategy, I personally flagged off the Oral Health Campaign in schools in Nigeria in November 2013 at the L.E.A Primary School, Ushafa, Bwari Area Council. The event was a high point in the celebration of the 2013 National Oral Health week by the Federal Ministry of Health. At this juncture ladies and gentlemen, I solicit the commitment and support of all and sundry towards a paradigm shift from limiting dentistry in Nigeria to only the treatment of diseased teeth to the care of the mouth. This is a global trend and Nigeria must join the rest of the world in the ‘Celebration of Healthy Smiles”. I therefore urge this distinguished audience to maximise the opportunity before us to galvanise the available resources that will position the Nigeria Oral Health system on a sustainable pedestal for development.”

    Corroborating Senator Mark’s submissions, Unilever MD, Nsarkoh represented by the Brand Building Director, David Okeme, said: “Dental decay affects up to 90 per cent of children in many countries and research also found that adolescents who brush their teeth more than once a day by 12 years of age are more likely to continue to do so throughout their teenage years and into adulthood.

    “These figures matter to us, which is why we’re harnessing the ingenuity of kids to get them to actively participate in our campaign. If we wish to create an impact in the oral care habits of Nigerians, we thought it best to start with the kids. If we empower them, they can then influence adults to create change in their oral care habits.”

    Nsarkoh said UNILEVER as part of its celebration of the World Oral Health Day with its leading oral health care brand, Close Up, is more committed commitment to improve the oral health of 10 million Nigerians by 2020.

    “This will be achieved by educating children to brush twice a day through its Brush Day and Night School Programme, which aims to inculcate among Nigerian children good brushing habits so they can avoid major oral problems and lead a healthier, more fulfilled life through to adulthood.

    “Our commitment to oral care attests to our leading as manufacturer of oral care products, including toothpaste and toothbrushes. A category within Unilever, a global manufacturer of leading brands in foods, home care and personal care, Unilever Oral Care is represented by brands including Close Up, Pepsodent, Signal and others. Unilever Oral Care is present in more than 50 countries around the world meaning, four billion people; approximately 70 per cent of the world’s population has access to Unilever oral care products. UNILEVER oral care supports over forty oral health improvement programmes in countries around the world. Unilever Oral Care holds a unique partnership with the FDI World Dental Federation – the authoritative independent voice of dentistry – to improve oral health on a global scale. Unilever Oral Care supports dental research through its partnership with IADR (International Association of Dental Research) spanning over 20 years.”

    Speaking at the event, the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu said that “Oral health is extremely important to our overall health and well being and that is why the Federal Ministry of Health has joined forces with UNILEVER in their campaign against poor dental hygiene.”

    Dr Alhassan was of the opinion that hitherto the Nation’s oral healthcare delivery system was haphazard in terms of organisation and management and only minimal attention was given to oral health. This was due to the erroneous perception that oral problems are not life threatening.

    “Meanwhile, studies have shown the significant impact that oral diseases have on the health and well being of affected individuals. They cause pain, increase morbidity and mortality which results in loss of school hours and reduced social-economic activities. For example, oral cancers and some oro-facial deformities are left untreated until it has become late. This leads to gross deformity and scarring thereby requiring expensive reparative surgeries.

    The FMOH recognizes that oral health promotion in Nigeria is a national task. All stakeholders must collaborate to meet the targets in the National Oral Health Policy, which includes raising the level of awareness of the importance of Oral Health among at least 70 per cent of Nigerians by the year 2015.”

    Head, Dentistry Division, FMOH, Dr (Mrs) ‘Bimpe Adebiyi speaking on the National Oral Health Policy and the roles of the Oral Health Ambassadors said the vision of the Federal Government for Oral Health is to improve the oral health status of all Nigerians; while the Mission is to improve the level of oral health through the development and promotion of accessible, effective, efficient and sustainable oral Health System based on prevention, early detection and prompt treatment of oral diseases, using evidence-based intervention.

    The Oral Health Champion hosted other Oral health Ambassadors to a gala night and dinner.

    At the gathering, the representative of the Unilever MD, Okeme announced the company’s commitment to partner with the Senate President and National Oral Health Champion to improve the oral health behaviours of 10 million Nigerians through the Close Up Brush Day and Night campaign.

    He said many Nigerians, who brush their teeth, brush only once a day and that was mostly in the morning. “Brushing at night after dinner is a very important challenge to address,” said Okeme.

    In support of the initiative to address night brushing, the Chief of Staff to the Senate President who represented the National Oral Health Champion at the dinner, Hon. Anthony George Manzo, supported a young girl, Kaetochi Okeke-Mgbajiaka, who demonstrated and challenged the audience on the importance of night brushing.

    Hon Nsarkoh said: “We want to engage as many school children as possible with our Close Up programmes because we believe they have the power to influence. This demonstration and the brush day and night campaign provides them with the platform to show Nigeria their ideas and inspire people to change how they take care of their teeth.”