Experts Advocate Oral Hygiene For Mental Wellbeing

As part of activities marking the World Oral Health Day, the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) has led an awareness briefing in Abuja, emphasising the connection between oral hygiene and mental well-being.

With this year’s theme: A happy mouth, a happy mind, the briefing, held at the National Hospital Abuja, featured health talks, outreach programmes and stakeholder engagements aimed at improving oral health consciousness across the country.

The director of clinical services at the National Hospital, Dr. Badamassi Abba, underscored the importance of oral hygiene, describing the mouth as a gateway to the body. He said poor oral health not only affects physical well-being but also has psychological consequences, and  poor oral health often leads to social withdrawal.

“The mind is not healthy when the mouth is not

Chairman of the Nigerian Dental Association, taken care of,” he stated.

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Dr. Theophilus Agho, highlighted essential oral health practices, including maintaining a healthy diet, regular dental checkups, brushing twice daily and replacing toothbrushes every three months, stressing the need for food choices and their implications on oral health. To address these challenges, he said the the NDA launched extensive sensitisation efforts targeting schools, marketplaces, and the media to create awareness of the importance of oral health.

In his remarks, the permanent secretary,  Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Vitalis Obi, stressed the need for increased government investment in oral healthcare. He advocated for better funding, recruitment of dental professionals, and public-private partnerships to expand access to quality oral health services nationwide. This implies that there should be a relationship between government and private practices in the health industry.

The World Oral Health Day event reinforced the message that maintaining a healthy mouth contributes to overall well-being. It urged Nigerians to adopt proactive oral hygiene habits for a healthier society and reminded us to invest in a happy mouth for the sure outcome of a happy mind.