New Telegraph Admin 
Dentists in the country under the auspices of the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) have urged Nigerians to reduce the consumption of sugar as a strategy to prevent tooth decay as a means to boost oral health. Also, Adeyemi who hosted dental professionals during the 56th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference EKO 2023, which was held in Lagos last Thursday, said that excessive sugar intake could lead to dental diseases.
Similarly, the Chairman of NDA, Lagos State zone, Dr. Dr. Oluwole Olusanya warned Nigerians to be very careful about sugar intake. According to him, decay of the teeth often arises from the intake of refined sugar. “Yes, we take in refined sugar but you should know when and how to take it. Take sweet foods closer to meal time and reduce the amount of sugar that is consumed,” Olusanya advised.
He explained that the infections of the mouth have two causes: “infections and the food we take in.” Although brushing two times daily: in the morning and at night before going to bed, is highly recommended, Dr. Olusanya said, “At night if you have brushed your teeth properly you will find that the level of acid in the mouth will be low.
This is brought about by the activity of bacteria which are organisms that are feeding on the food in our mouth “Once they have no food to feed on because we have brushed at night, they cannot produce acid to wear our teeth out.” Connecting dental wellness to good health, the president of NDA said oral health is part of general health.
Dental and periodontal diseases are very common in the country. “They could start as a hole in the teeth and if nothing is done the pain could prevent the person from sleeping and it could lead to swelling; it could also prevent the affected person from breathing properly and this could result in death. “Toothache will affect the productivity of those who have it.
The pain is more than one that a woman in labour experiences. It can lead to loss in working hours and the time to be used in work will be spent in the hospital.” Adeyemi highlighted that the main priority of the NDA is to ensure that the oral health of Nigerians is maximised. While urging Nigerians to visit their dentist at least twice yearly, the Secretary General of NDA, Dr. Ukachi Nnawuihe lamented that the populace often feel like a visit to the dentist is just to remove their teeth.
“On the contrary, he affirmed that dentists are not happy removing teeth. It’s just that Nigerians wait and use other forms of local therapy to treat their oral ailments and when it gets bad and they can’t manage it they show up at the dentist. “Most times, when they come, the alternative treatment to save the tooth is really costly and they end up choosing to remove the teeth,” added the secretary general of NDA. The NDA conference, which took place from August 9 to 12, has the theme ‘Migration of Doctors: Effect on Dental Education and Universal Oral Healthcare Coverage in Nigeria’.
Some dignitaries at the event include the Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof Wasiu Adeyemo, the Registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, the President of Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Dr. Victor Makanjuola, among others. The sub-themes of the AGM are ‘Health-care Financing Options for Public and Private Sectors in Nigeria’, ‘ Emerging Trends and Implications of Unregulated Tooth Whitening’ and ‘Profitability of Dental Practice in Nigeria: An Expo On How To Tap Into The Gold Mine’.
