Dental Therapists Advocate Good Oral Health Practice

Nigerians have been urged to imbibe good oral health practice and shun self medication, particularly, in the case of oral health problems. Speaking during the 2015 World Oral Health Day organised by the Nigerian Dental Therapists’ Association, NDTA, the Registrar, Dental therapist Registration Board of Nigeria, Mrs. Araminde keshinro lamented the rate at which people damage the health of their mouth, adding that unfortunately, when they present to the clinic several damages would have been done to the mouth.

“When many people experience pain in their mouth, they tend to listen to quack who will advise them to use several unimaginable things like touch and go, acid water which will in turn do more damages to the mouth and by the time they present at the dental clinic several

damages would have happen. Sensitising the resident of Ikoyi and Obalende area of Lagos during a healthy walk tagged; “Smile for life!”, Keshinro identified oral health as a symbol of general wellness, “It is only when your mouth is clean that the whole body will be clean, when oral health is bad the whole body is bad, when you take care of your mouth the whole body will be clean.

A lot of people believe that they can only go for body check up, forgetting that every disease that happen to mankind will first manifest in the mouth even the smallest disease like malaria. So when you take good care of your mouth you reduce numbers of diseases.

Keshinro said some of the local chewing stick is also good and even medicinal but there is need to supplement them with tooth brush because you cannot use stick to struck your gums which will eventually cause pain. “People should endeavour to brush twice daily, in the morning and last thing before they go to bed. Brushing before bed time help you clear the remaining of foods in your mouth which naturally the bacterial in the mouth would have acted on and dissolve it into acid which will start eaten up the enamel and thereby result into cavity.”

Corroborating her view, the Chief Dental Therapists Isolo General Hospital and Lagos state Coordinator of Nigeria Dental Therapists’ Association, Mrs. Olufunke Odunowo regretted that a lot of people are presently coping with numerous challenges like bleeding gums, hole in the teeth, smelling mouths which are all sign of unhealthy mouth. “Most people present at the dental clinics with bleeding gums and smelling mouth, when you have bleeding gum it shows that the surrounding structure inside your mouth is not healthy. When you come to the clinic the teeth will be polish and the bleeding gum will be arrested. On the part of smelling mouth many reason might be responsible that is why we advise you to see your dental therapist. “Every Nigerian needs to go for check up twice a year and whenever you have pain in your mouth do not hesitate to come to visit a dental clinic. By the time you come they will look at it, it might be just a little thing that is happening they will be able to arrest it rather than listen to quacks to say that you should use things that can cause damages to your mouth,” She added.

Source: vanguardngr.com