A Dentist, Olufemi Orebanjo, has explained how regular oral checks could help detect underlying diseases that require early treatment.
Mr Orebanjo, a former Medical Director of Ajeromi General Hospital in Ajegunle, Lagos State, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Thursday.
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He said oral hygiene is essential to the general well-being of the body.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines oral health as the state of the mouth, teeth, and orofacial structures that allow people to perform essential functions like eating, breathing, and speaking.
Oral health is linked to overall health, and poor oral hygiene can increase the risk of other health conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and pneumonia.
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Mr Orebanjo noted that the mouth is the gateway to the body, hence, whatever happens in other parts of the body has a way of manifesting in the mouth.
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“Diabetes, for example, can be detected through oral check at an early stage that will help such a patient receive early treatment, not to talk of other impacts that the mouth itself can have on the body,” he said.
“So, when you don’t take care of the mouth, which is the gateway of the body, the rest of the body will be sick.”
He advised Nigerians to go for oral check at least twice a year, to maintain good hygiene.
(NAN)
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