Dental Association Warns Against Harmful Oral Habits

The Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) has warned Nigerians against harmful oral practices and called for improved access to dental services across the country, as medical and dental experts push for broader national reforms in oral healthcare.

Speaking at the 58th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association in Abuja, NDA President, Dr. Emedom Elias, cautioned against using the teeth to open bottle drinks, describing the act as dangerous and capable of causing fractures, gum injuries and long-term complications.

“The mouth is a sensitive organ. Using teeth for harmful practices can lead to serious damage. These habits must stop,” Elias said.

He stressed that many minor oral injuries escalate into severe conditions due to poor awareness and unsafe habits. Elias also highlighted inadequate funding, poor distribution of dental facilities, and limited equipment access as major barriers to quality dental care.

“If you go to rural areas, you hardly find dental clinics. Integrating dental services into primary healthcare centres will significantly improve access,” he added.

Delivering a keynote lecture at the conference, Dr. Olaniyi Taiwo, Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Intercountry Centre for Oral Health for Africa, said Nigeria’s oral health system remains neglected despite its clear connection to overall well-being and sustainable development.

He noted that the national oral health policy is poorly implemented, surveillance systems are outdated, and oral health receives less than one per cent of the national health budget.

“Oral diseases affect millions — from dental caries to periodontal disease and oral cancers — yet they remain largely unattended even though many are preventable,” Taiwo said.

He emphasised that dentistry contributes to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, and should be fully integrated into the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plans.

Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Bala Audu, called for the establishment of more dental faculties in colleges of medicine and specialised universities of health sciences.

Audu said strengthening dental education and increasing the number of training institutions were key to addressing workforce gaps and improving oral healthcare delivery nationwide.

He noted that Nigeria cannot achieve quality healthcare without prioritising oral health and building stronger institutions to train professionals.