Oral Health Day: Experts Advocate Oral Hygiene For Mental Well-being

As part of activities marking World Oral Health Day, the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) led an awareness briefing in Abuja, emphasizing 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 programs, and stakeholder engagements aimed at improving oral health consciousness across the country.

Speaking at the briefing, Dr. Badamassi Abba, Director of Clinical Services at the National Hospital, underscored the importance of oral hygiene, describing the mouth as a gateway to the body. He noted that poor oral health not only affects physical well-being but also has psychological consequences. How poor oral health often leads to social withdrawal. “The mind is not healthy when the mouth is not taken care of,” he stated.

Dr. Theophilus Agho, Chairman of the Nigerian Dental Association, highlighted essential oral health practices, including maintaining a healthy diet, regular dental checkups, brushing twice daily, and replacing toothbrushes every three months and stressing the need for food choices and their implication to our oral health. He pointed out that issues such as bad breath and dental misalignment could lead to social withdrawal, thereby impacting mental health. To address these challenges, the NDA launched extensive sensitization efforts targeting schools, marketplaces, and the media to create awareness of the importance of oral health.

In his remarks, Dr. Vitalis Obi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, 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.