Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Edo chapter, has advised Nigerians to adopt good oral hygiene habits and regular dental check-ups to protect the mouth and body.
Dr Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, the state MWAN President, gave the advice during a sensitisation programme in Imaguero Grammar School to mark the World Oral Health Day in Benin on Friday.
The theme of World Oral Health Day 2020 is: “Ahh…unite for oral health” which aims at creating awareness about oral hygiene.
“The mouth is a mirror to the body which reflects the general health and wellbeing of a person.
“A healthy mouth and a healthy body go hand in hand, maintaining a healthy mouth is crucial to keeping it functioning correctly and for maintaining overall health and quality of life.
“This is why MWAN, Edo is out to sensitise 25 schools, teaching them oral health hygiene to commemorate world oral health day which holds yearly on March 20.
“Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease, it can help you keep your teeth as you get older.
“Since Coronavirus is also an issue now in the country, we are also teaching prevention of virus spread too,” she said.
Urhoghide-Edigin said an unhealthy mouth, especially gum disease, might increase risk of serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke, poorly controlled diabetes and preterm labour.”
She said oral hygiene was important because it could prevent different types of oral disease and dental problems.
The president urged government to add dental care into the insurance scheme, set up department of dentistry in the ministry of health and recruit more dental doctors to tackle dental diseases and retire old doctors in the profession.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Edo MWAN partnered with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) Edo to sensitise over 12,000 students and 300 staff on the importance of oral hygiene. (NAN)
