By Job Osazuwa
Experts have decried neglect of dental disease conditions, which they warned could lead to other ailments such as erectile dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases and even death in some cases.
Medics have persistently raised the alarm over the huge amount of money spent on oral-related diseases across the globe. They have also recommended that people carry out routine checks on their oral well-being.
The World Oral Health Day 2022 was themed “Smile, be proud of your teeth.” The Global Burden of Disease study 2019 estimated that oral diseases affect close to 3.5 billion people worldwide, with caries of permanent teeth being the most common condition.
According to the chairman, Nigerian Dental Association, Edo State branch, Dr. Clement Azodo, a global loss of $200 billion annually is associated with lack of attention to oral health.
He said: “Nigeria loses between N300 million and N500 million yearly because of lack of interest in oral health care.”
However, in a bid to improve the oral health of Nigerians, a dental clinic with modern facilities, Choice Dental, has opened in Ikeja, Lagos State, with services focusing on preventive dental care.
At the launch recently, the managing dentist of the clinic, Dr. Sade Akiode, announced that the facility was focusing more on preventive dentistry, particularly in the areas of comprehensive dental examination, digital X-rays, sealant, oral cancer screening and dental cleaning.
Akiode, who had a 20-year dental practice experience in the United States, said she decided to return to Nigeria in 2011 to avail Nigerians the same world-class dental care that her patients abroad were enjoying and reduce the incidence of Nigerians travelling abroad for medical tourism.
“We have since set up a thriving dental clinic at Karimu Kotun, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the Ikeja branch being our second in Lagos and Nigeria.
“Choice Dental, Ikeja, has nine operating suites made up of the general section, VIP and children’s sections,” Akiode said.
Operated by experienced dentists, radiographers and other ancillary dental staff, she added that the clinic is offering a wide range of other services in addition to preventive dentistry.
According to her, “these are cosmetic dentistry, which includes teeth whitening, splinting, smile makeover; general dentistry such as white fillings, root canal therapy, dentures, extractions, children’s dentistry and dental implants, among others.
Akiode explained that the clinic also offers specialised services such as full mouth reconstruction, oral surgery, laser surgery, orthodontics, invalign in the Ikeja facility.
She decried the global and local attention on diseases such as malaria, HIV AIDS, COVID-19 to the neglect of dental disease conditions, which she said could lead to other ailments and if not quickly and adequately managed might result in death in some cases.
Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, chairman of the board of the facility, called for attitudinal change among Nigerians by going for regular dental check-up, instead of waiting until they have toothache or pain in the mouth before going to see a dentist.