Oral hygiene - Don’t use tomatoes to clean babies’ teeth
Expectant mothers who ignore good oral hygiene practices risk exposing their babies to diseases.
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According to Dr Jemimah Fosu, a dentist at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, many mothers do not realise the importance of regular check-ups at the dentist, both for their own health and that of their babies.
She said that empirical research had established that expectant mothers who did not receive appropriate oral health attention were likely to give birth before the due time or have babies with low birth weight.
“Imagine you need nine months for all your organs to form properly but you come out of your mother’s womb before the due time. A lot of things can go wrong to affect different parts of your body including your brain, heart, testicles and intestines. So many things can go wrong,” she added.
The dentist also advised women who use tomato and glycerine to clean their babies’ teeth to desist from the practice and rather opt for toothpaste prescribed for babies.
“No research has proved what the benefits are from using tomato and glycerine to clean teeth. It’s just a myth people believe works probably because of the salty nature of tomatoes; it’s not advisable to wipe a baby’s mouth with glycerine.”
The dentist explained that in cleaning a baby’s teeth, all one needed was the prescribed toothpaste on a gauze around the finger to clean gently and some warm water with a teaspoon of salt to wipe inside the mouth.
The President of the American Academy of Periodontology, Dr Nancy L. Newhouse, recently confirmed in a study published by the Journal of Periodontology that the inflammatory chronic condition that attacks the gums and bones around the teeth could lead to premature labour and low birth weight.
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She stated that gums that bleed with tooth brushing or eating as well as gums pulling away from the teeth, bad breath and loose teeth are all signs that should not be ignored, especially during pregnancy, and that treatment should be sought immediately from a dental professional.
According to Dr Fosu, the lack of dental health education is not only compounding dental health problems but has also resulted in underutilisation of the available dental services.
She cautioned that oral health was not only about the teeth but also about other health complications, such as oral cancer, which could be fatal.
She affirmed that the constant neglect of oral health challenges such as minor cavities, dental abscess, gum disease, infection in the jaw bones and Necrotising Cervical Fasciitis, a dental infection which occurs in different stages, could all lead to death.
The most common complaints that people report to dentists in this country, she added, included toothache, gum disease, mouth odour, abnormal arrangement of teeth and fractured jaw bones and teeth.
Dr Fosu stated that treatment options vary depending on what examination of patients and laboratory tests reveal.
“Some of the cases may be extensive and require surgery under general anaesthesia so it is necessary for patients to visit the dentist regularly. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a number of diseases which are preventable just by brushing and regular visit to the dentist."
On the recent proliferation of cheap herbal medicine in our markets, on buses and in the communities, Dr Fosu said those situations predisposed people to infections. She urged people to seek medical attention whenever they notice issues about oral health.
Available statistics from Unilever Ghana indicate that about 96 per cent of children under 12 years in this country suffer from bad breath, decayed, missing or stained teeth.