A Chief Surgical Dental Technologist with Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Ale Oluwafemi, on Thursday, advised the public to ensure regular dental cleaning of teeth to maintain a healthy condition.
Oluwafemi gave the advice during a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Kwara.
According to him, insufficient oral hygiene had been linked to several serious illnesses.
He said that professional dental cleaning was not just for keeping a brighter smile but could have a significant impact on human’s health generally.
Oluwafemi listed associated medical and dental issues arising from inadequate dental cleaning to include bone loss, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer and many other problems.
The medical expert said it was most unfortunate that in this part of the world people were careless about dental care at the expense of other unwarranted social activities and engagements.
“Every human being must visit a professional dentist at least once in six months for general cleaning and proper examination.
“If there is going to be any serious problem at that level, such a person can be educated appropriately on what to do so as not to aggravate his or her condition.
“Visit the dentist is one of those things that many people put off, sometimes for years,’’ he added.
He said that the majority of the population, who skipped those dental visits, were putting their total health at significant risk.
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“Overall, poor dental hygiene can raise the risk of heart and lung disease and diabetes, as well as impact cognitive health.
“New studies have found that our brain and heart health is directly correlated to our oral health but we have the power to combat it all.
“A large recent study found that those who had a teeth-cleaning performed by a dental hygienist at least twice a year were 24 per cent less likely to have a heart attack than those who missed a professional teeth-cleaning each year.
“Even more astounding is the correlation between brain health and dental care. The same study found that having that bi-annual dental exam and teeth-cleaning can lower the risk of stroke by as much as 13 per cent.
“Previous studies discovered that missing routine appointments with a dental hygienist for a teeth-cleaning, as well as skipping basic at-home dental care can increase the risk of heart disease by as much as 70 per cent,” Oluwafemi said.