National Internal Auditor/Chairman Dental and Oral Health Committee 2023-2025 Biennium MWAN, Dr Adesuwa Uroghide-Edigin has urged Nigerians to value and take care of their mouths saying the mouth can tell a lot about the general health of the body.
Uroghide-Edigin made the call during a visit to 8 public secondary schools in Egor LGA in Benin City state in partnership with the Edo State Ministry of education as part of activities to commemorate the 2024 World Oral Health Day, with the theme, “a Happy Mouth is a Happy Body”
Speaking on the benefits of oral hygiene, Uroghide-Edigin said teeth decay and gum disease left untreated can take a toll on an individual’s oral and overall health.
She said World Oral Health Day is a day set aside to raise awareness on dental and oral health.
According to her, All we are doing is asking the world to unite to help reduce the burden of oral diseases on the general populace and society.
“This campaign is aimed to motivate people to value and take care of their mouths and understand that by doing so they protect their overall well-being,” Uroghide-Edigin said.
“Your mouth can tell you a lot about your general health of your body. The mouth can show signs which sometimes are indications of other disease.
“Teeth decay and gum disease left untreated can take a toll on your oral and overall health. The infection can spread to other areas of your mouth, face , sinuses, neck, jawbone , blood stream and other parts of your body, increasing on your risk for several health conditions, including abscess, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis , respiratory complications, high Blood pressure, high cholesterol ,cancer , diabetes and it can weaken the immune system.”
Urhoghide-Edigin sued for regular visit to a dentist for checkup, saying, “Dentistry is not expensive, neglect is. Make sure you visit a dentist twice a year.”
Uroghide-Edigin said the schools visited include, Evbareke secondary school, Uwelu secondary school,Ohonre secondary school, Benin Technical college, Edo boys High Schoo, Adolo college road, Eweka secondary school,Iyoba Girls’ college, and Uselu Secondary School, where oral health education and oral health screening were carried out.
