A visit to the dentist could save your life

Your smile, when you meet someone, determines the flow of your conversation and the breath from your mouth says a lot about how much you take care of your oral health, and that comes with brushing. But do we really know how to brush?

Dr. Joseph Katsina, a dentist at Mengo hospital, says that many people do not know how to brush effectively. He says that most people do not pay attention to the type of tooth brushes they use and how to use them.

“The tooth brush should have a small bend to ensure that it reaches the end parts of the mouth. Most people have tooth brushes but they don’t know how to use them” he says

He however notes that it doesn’t matter what one uses to clean their teeth but how well they know how use whatever they have to ensure that their teeth are clean.

“The reason why some people use sticks and twigs is because the stick can easily reach every space in the mouth. It doesn’t matter what one uses to clean the mouth but how effective they use whatever they have,” he says.

Khasifa Namagembe, a resident of Masanafu, regrets her delay in making regular dental visits a part of her health care routine.  She says that by the time she decided to visit one, most of her teeth had started breaking while others had to be removed. She advises that it is safer and cheaper to visit a dentist before one gets pain.

“A toothache is worse than being in labor. When a woman is due, they have to give birth and the pain is short lived. But for the tooth ache, its worse because you don’t know when it will stop. It is cheaper to visit a dentist often instead of waiting for pain,” Namagembe says.

The mouth is the mirror of your whole body. Did you know that many of the diseases that we suffer from can be detected if we spent more time on visiting dentists often?

Dr. Arabat Kasangaki, a dentist at Mengo hospital, says that Ugandans are dying as a result of not paying attention to their oral health.

“We can see something that is happening in your liver, stomach, whether you are developing cancer or anything that could endanger your health through your mouth,” he says.

He adds that the hygiene attitude in childhood determines how we are able to know the beauty and importance of oral health.

Dr. Kasangaki appeals to the government to revise the oral health policy to include an expert on the primary health care package on oral health to change the attitudes of Ugandans towards oral hygiene.

He appeals to parents to always desist from feeding babies with sugary foods and to always ensure that they brush every after a meal. This way, he says dental issues can be avoided in adulthood.