The World Health Organization has recommended oral hygiene awareness and education to be promoted in schools, workplaces and other community settings.
This it says will help reduce the burden of oral diseases, which affect individuals, health systems and economies everywhere.
One in every two children aged five years suffers from tooth decay according to an oral survey conducted in the country in 2015
This was revealed on world Oral Hygiene Day marked on 20th March every year with an aim of sanitizing the population the importance of oral hygiene.
This year’s day is marked under the theme, ‘Be proud of your mouth’.
An estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide suffers from oral diseases according to WHO.
Between 1990 and 2019, estimated case numbers of oral diseases increased by more than one billion, which translates to a 50 per cent increase.
“Oral diseases are caused by a range of modifiable risk factors common to many non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including sugar consumption, tobacco use, alcohol use and poor hygiene,” the WHO warns.
Oral diseases lead to pain and discomfort, social isolation and loss of self-confidence, and they are often linked to other serious health issues.
Most oral health conditions are largely preventable and can be treated in their early stages.
In June last year, the Ministry of Health launched the National Oral Health Policy 2022-2030 and the first National Oral Health Strategic Plan 2022-2026
This strategic plan will guide the implementation of the policy aimed at improving the oral health status of Kenyans.
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