I dream of a cavity-free nation

Saturday, 23rd July 2011

Dental care can be expensive. Yet all dental diseases are preventable if interventions are carried out early. AGNES WAMBUA, an Oral Health Officer tells KIUNDU WAWERU why prevention is the key to dental health, and of her campaign in schools, geared towards creating awareness

James Gichuru Primary School, recently constructed by a German donor, stands tall with its modern buildings amidst the rundown and congested buildings in Dandora.

Inside the school, the acrid smell from the garbage dump that is relentless in Dandora follows you. And indeed, the expansive dump borders the school, the two separated by a stone wall.

Inside class Six North, the pupils and teachers are unperturbed by the smell or the dumpsite visible from their class windows. Instead, they are all smiles as today, they have a visitor who bears a good message, and goodies.

Agnes Wambua, an Oral Health Officer based at the Dandora II Health Facility, is here to advise the children on how to maintain their oral hygiene. She has been going to schools in the region, a place where personal hygiene is not taken seriously, advising children on the best way to care for this important part of their body.

“I have been doing curative work in our government health facility where the daily records show that the numbers of extractions continue to escalate. This is what inspired me to start this work,” Agnes says.

She adds that dental treatment is expensive and not many people in the informal settlements can afford restorative services like fillings.

“Nearly all dental diseases are preventable if interventions are carried out early,” she says.

This is the impetus of her campaign. However, she says that there is nearly no funding in preventive oral health and most of her work in schools is self-funded.

“People just don’t realise the importance of oral health,” says Agnes.

“It is an embarrassment to talk to a person with bad breath. Self-esteem is lost when they realise people are avoiding them,” she adds.

Since children are the easiest to influence, Agnes hopes to instill proper dental care habits in them. Children also influence their parents with positive lessons they learn at school.

In Class Six North, Agnes takes a piece of chalk and starts teaching the attentive children.

“Today we will look at two major causes of tooth loss: Dental cavities and gum disease.”

She then gives a brief explanation, saying that the major causes of dental cavities begin with the intake of sugar that stays in the mouth for long, causing bacteria to produce acids, which start the process of decay.

“Bleeding gums are caused by food that has stayed in the mouth for a long period of time. Over time, tarter (yellowish stuff) begins to form in between the gum and the tooth, destroying the supporting structure of the tooth. The gum bleeds easily,” Agnes enlightens.

Pockets form in between the gum and teeth, causing the bad breath. Eventually the tooth becomes loose and painful, and must be extracted.

After this comes the practical lesson. Agnes prefers the children bring along their toothbrushes but today, there was miscommunication and they do not have the brushes. Not to worry, she has carried along a demo of the human dental formula and she asks for a volunteer to demonstrate how to brush the teeth.

Joy Teresa, 11, courageously steps forward and takes the demo and a brush and shows her classmates how to go about it, reminding them to clean the gums and the tongue.

Agnes gives her a thumbs up and reminds the class to change their toothbrushes regularly.

“The children are internalising the habit, and they also practise our theme: Piga mswaki mara mbili kwa dakika mbili kila siku (brush your teeth for two minutes, twice daily).

Agnes started her career eight years ago in Nyeri, before being transferring to Nairobi’s Mbagathi District Hospital, and then to Dandora. She says the work of extracting teeth is mechanical and routine and before long, one gets bored; one of the reasons she started the outreach programme.

Other schools she visits are Tom Mboya, Dandora Creative, Glory and Wango primary schools.

The outreach programmes are part of her duties but she says that most health workers shun the work or do it half-heartedly.

“I took the initiative to do this work despite it having no benefits. I am glad my work is being recognised. Last year, I was selected by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation and Kenya Dentists Association oral care team, to coordinate a campaign dubbed, Piga Mswaki with Aquafresh.

This campaign had her traverse Western Province in March, where she visited markets, teaching people on oral hygiene.

“We visited 60 markets in two months. This was besides staging awareness roadshows,” says she.

“I am grateful to GSK for championing the Piga Mswaki campaign. But even without their funding, the dream of a cavity-free nation must go on and I will continue pushing our society on to dental care and preventive measures,” Agnes says.

After the lessons at the Class Six North, Agnes distributes some toothpaste she had brought along.