Shortage of oral health personnel hampers service delivery

Dr David Oppong-Mensah, Programme Manager of Oral Health, Ghana Health Service, on Friday said poor oral hygiene, low awareness of oral health practices and the acute shortage of dental health personnel were some of the major problems hampering oral health care in the country.

He said Wa in the Upper West Region, for instance has had no dental surgeon for the past three years.

Dr Oppong-Mensah, who was speaking to the GNA in an interview in Accra, said there was one dental surgeon each for the Upper East and the Northern Regions, while the Volta Region has three.

The Programme Manager said a mobile oral health team would be sent this year to the sub-districts to attend to rural communities.

Dr Oppong-Mensah said some oral health outreach programmes were currently being carried out in various parts of the country, with 14 districts now benefiting from dental facilities.

He mentioned gum disease and infections due to neglect of the mouth, as some common dental problems.

"Neglect of the teeth and poor oral hygiene by most rural folks lead to chronic oral conditions resulting in the loss of teeth in young adults aged between 20 and 30 years, making them dental cripples in the prime of their life."

Dr Oppong-Mensah said the loss of teeth affected one's self-esteem and resulted in health problems such as malnutrition because the teeth had a lot to do with proper and healthy eating.

He mentioned decay and cavities caused by excessive consumption of sugary foods as other major problem facing people in the communities.

Other diseases and conditions of the mouth, including ulcers and oral cancers and tumours, he explained, were among some serious conditions affecting the health of the people in the country.

He called for regular cleaning of the teeth, yearly check-ups, the use of fluoride toothpaste and the reduction of sugary foods as some measures necessary to promote good oral health practices.