Lack of attention to oral hygiene by Nigerians cost the country at least N300m annually experts have said.
Addressing a press conference in Benin City on Saturday as part of activities to mark this year’s World Oral Health Day (WOHD) which holds Sunday, chairman, Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Edo State chapter, Dr Clement Azodo said there is a global loss of $200 billion annually because of lack of attention to oral health.
Flanked by the State chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Harrison Omokhua and his Medical Women Association counterpart, Dr Ehi Isa who was represented by Dr Eholor Okuonghae, Azodo said “Nigeria losses between N300 to N500 million yearly because of lack of interest in oral health care.
“On the community level, poor oral health is associated with decreased economic productivity estimated globally at USS200 billion yearly due to loss of man hours when workers are not present at work for sake of poor oral health and hours lost due to trips to the dental clinics to treatment oral diseases in their late stages.
“Regrettably, majority of Nigerians come to the dental clinic late when in pain and oral diseases are at their late stages. Unfortunately, treatment of oral diseases in its late stage is very costly. In fact globally, advanced dental treatment ranks fourth in the list of most expensive health treatments.”
On his part, Omokhua urged Nigerians to go for oral health checks twice in a year because “certain habits which we take as normal or norms can just be causing a lot of problems as far as dental care is concerned.”
He advised against indulgence in sugary substances.
