The Dental Department of the Tema General Hospital, in collaboration with the Public Health Unit, has held a free dental screening and sensitisation exercise for the public in commemoration of World Oral Health Day.
The programme was to raise awareness of oral health and the need for regular visits to the dentist for a check to ensure early intervention and treatment.
The programme, attended by staff and clients of the hospital and the public, was sponsored by the Ghana Dentist Association and Colgate Palmolive Ghana.
Dr Kakra Bonsu Appiah, the Head of the Dental Department, said the exercise formed part of activities to mark the 2024 World Oral Day.
He explained that the facility undertook various activities on the day of the celebration, which was March 20, hence the need to have the screening on a different day.
More than 500 people were targeted for the exercise with the aim of educating them on the dangers associated with delays in seeking for dental treatment, while urging them to be agents of good
oral health in their communities and the country at large.
Speaking on the 2024 theme: ‘A Happy Mouth is a Happy Body,’ he said oral health had been one of the most neglected areas of medical practice, causing more tooth extractions than preventive dentistry in the Tema region.
He, therefore, recommended that every Ghanaian visited the dentist twice a year for check-up and that the National Health Insurance Scheme currently caters for dental treatment to make it affordable.
Ms Ellen Asubroni, a Dental Therapist, advised the participants to reduce their intake of sugary foods, especially children, to prevent tooth decay, stressing that it was very important to clean the mouth by brushing twice a day.
She said the mouth’s health affected the entire body, urging parents to be deliberate in keeping their children’s mouths clean.
Ms Beatrice Assem, a Dental Nurse, took participants through the appropriate brushing techniques and urged them to use toothpaste that contained fluoride to brush.
The participants
were given souvenirs, including toothpaste and toothbrushes, to help keep their mouths clean and safe.
Source: Ghana News Agency