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Children can play key role in fight against dental diseases
With change of diets, increased intake of sugars that stick on the teeth create a fertile ground for decay. PHOTO | FILE
The World Oral Health Day observed on March 20 gave countries across the world a chance to take stock of the progress made in improving oral healthcare. But it is also a chance for all of us to reflect on what still needs to be done.
Despite being easily preventable, tooth decay still affects nearly all global adult population and 60 per cent to 90 per cent of children, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Untreated tooth decay can have a serious and long-lasting effect on children’s growth and overall health, with many consequently missing out on school and social opportunities.
A good number of us have removed a tooth or two and still remember how painful toothache can be. A few of us wait until they are in excruciating pain to visit the dentists. With change of diets, increased intake of sugars that stick on the teeth create a fertile ground for decay.
Studies have revealed that children who have good oral hygiene and free from toothache are more likely to be high achievers in school compared to those who have toothache due to cavities and poor oral hygiene. Oral diseases in children can impact their self-esteem. They may avoid laughing or smiling due to the perceived poor appearance of their teeth.
Influence
Oral care problems go beyond children. In fact, cavities are a major cause of absenteeism from work in adults, resulting in both short and long-term impacts on economic productivity.
During economic downturns, patients may delay consultation and treatment, with disastrous financial and health ramifications. Untreated tooth decay can prevent people from turning up to work which results in companies under performing, targets not being met and consequently impacting the economy.
By teaching children to brush at a young age, we can establish good oral routines that become a habit for life and lead not only to healthier communities, but happier ones too.
The latest of our global school initiatives – Brush Night and Day drive – is aimed at taking the campaign for oral healthcare to a new level by instilling in children good brushing habits so as to avoid major oral problems and lead a healthier, more fulfilled life through to adulthood.
If we reach one million students with the ‘brush night and day’ message this year and by 2020 reach 10 million children then we can make a difference by creating a new generation equipped with the latest brushing skills.
Thanks to behavioural science, we know that behaviours are interlinked and that children have a unique power to influence the rest of their families. By tapping into this ability of children to inspire those around them that we can get whole families and communities thinking about how they can improve their brushing habits.
This way we will turn children into ‘little dentists’, who can then share the message with friends and family. These ‘little dentists’ are expected to create change by taking the lessons they learn at school and applying them at home, inspiring their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters around better oral health in the process.
The private sector alone cannot achieve a dental disease-free population. We need the government to raise the profile on oral health as an important public health intervention and prevention needs to be at the centre of the partnership for better oral health in Kenya, very simply so that we can have more Kenyans and Africans smiling.
Dr Sidibe is the social mission director at Unilever.
