Exploring the imperative of good oral hygiene

In most developing nations, oral diseases constitute public health problem due to increased prevalence, economic effects, and negative impact on the quality of life of affected individuals. Anthonia Obokoh writes that dental diseases adversely affect concentration, relational relationship, and productivity due to the complex relationship between oral health and general health, highlighting what is being done, especially in promoting good oral hygiene, ensuring cavity free and combating the issue of dentine sensitivity among Nigerians.

Statistics have shown that one in every three persons suffers from sensitive teeth, and 52 percent of patients with tooth sensitivity fail to seek dental advice.

According to FDI‎ World Dental Federation, a consortium of dentists all over the world, 3.9 billion people around the world suffer from oral diseases.

Ironically, Nigeria has about 35 brands of toothpaste, and the National Dental Association (NDA) has said poor public awareness on oral hygiene and inadequate dental services are affecting dental care in the country.

However, a dental research carried out by Sensodyne by a group of dentists led by Kofo Savage, a professor, reveals a rising prevalence of dentine hyper sensitivity among Nigerian adults, therefore Sensodyne championing the cause to drive awareness for the condition and also positioning itself as an effective solution to the condition.

To this effect, the brand has since embarked on a comprehensive free oral health care education and dentine sensitivity sensitisation at major cities across Nigeria. In 2016, it reached over 200,000 people and then planned to reach 500,000 in 2017.

Tricia Yusuf, the marketing manager announcing the campaign kickoff recently, explains that the brand’s decision to continue with the campaign is due to the positive impact it has had on consumers since the first edition in 2014, and the brand remains resolute in its commitment to kick sensitivity out of Nigeria.

“The Sensodyne brand believes that no one deserves to go through any form of dentine pain, which explains our commitment to this cause. Again, the response from consumers since we started in 2014 has been very encouraging. In the last two years, thousands of consumers across Nigeria have benefited in the brand’s chill test activations and we are very confident that this year we will reach many more people,” Yusuf says.

Meanwhile, to further up the ante, the brand plans to activate eight cities pan Nigeria and infuse elements like Samsung Gear, Photo Booth in 2017, planning to focus on the quality of chill test and reach the TA via relevant channels, with excitement and clarity of message.

In spite of this, Aigbeme Momoh, head of marketing, GSK Consumer, while corroborating the statement of Yusuf, says, “At GSK, our mission is to improve the quality of human life by enabling people do more, feel better and live longer, and this is constantly at the heart of everything we do. We believe that there is no better way to demonstrate this than to reach out to our loyal consumers and educate them more about the importance of good oral hygiene.

“GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, makers of Sensodyne toothpaste, is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare company with the global mission to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

“Sensodyne is an oral care brand of GSK, specifically formulated to take care of tooth sensitivity. It is packed with essential ingredients making it an effective solution for relieving the pain of sensitive teeth.”

On the other hand, prevention of dental disease can be achieved by optimising the oral health practices in the form of proper brushing with the right toothpaste, flossing, regular dental visits, and proper diet.

The clinical concept that the maintenance of an effective plaque control is the basis of any attempt to control periodontal diseases established since the 1950s still remains valid. The understanding of actual practices in keeping the oral health at standard based on patients’ perceptions of oral health care is important.

Dental and oral health is not only shining white teeth and sweet breath, but the practices and apparent access barriers have been related to oral health. Patient’s opinion on the quality of dental care provision and their intent on re-accessing a dental service may be associated with a practitioner’s professionalism, empathy, and delivery of oral hygiene advice. Dentists are faced with several apparent ironies when it comes to advising patients on the best toothpaste to preventing that sensitivity.

Oral care, as part of general health self-care, consists of the wide spectrum of activities ranging from care, prevention, and diagnosis to looking for professional care. Dental self-care practices have been ascertained as a preventive method to maintain good oral health as a part of general health. The studies on gender differences in relation to oral health were conducted in Japan, Sweden, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine and Libya.

 The results of these studies consistently discovered that females are more aware of brushing, more cautious about oral health and perceive their own oral health to be better than males. They also show more positive dental health attitude and better oral health behaviour than their male counterparts.

Limited studies are accessible on oral hygiene practices and perceptions among the Indian population. Therefore, a hospital based study was conducted to evaluate perception on oral hygiene, practice, and reason for it and exploring gender differences among outpatients visiting a private dental college hospital.

On the whole, dental/oral health conditions – sensitivity in particular – in Nigeria can be reduced when the right toothpaste is use regularly. Sensodyne toothpaste has been proven to an effective solution for relieving the pain of sensitive teeth and has been specifically formulated to take care of tooth sensitivity.

Therefore, as the brand kicked off the 2017 edition of its annual dental check-up campaign, its comprehensive oral health care education aimed at driving awareness for dentine hypersensitivity is opened to be explored.