Rotary club donates dental kits to 200 pupils in Anambra state

Rotary Club have donated dental care kits to pupils at Ikwodiaku Primary School, Awka, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra state.

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Mr Valentine Okaudu, President, Rotary Club of Awka-Smithtown, District 9142, made the donation on Thursday in line with the Area of Focus of Rotary International/Monthly Designation for September which is Basic Education and Literacy and Oral Health Hygiene.

The club used the visit to preach the message of proper Oral Health Hygiene amongst pupils and teachers for its Oral Health Hygiene Education sensitisation programs in schools as contained in Rotary International yearly programme.

Okaudu in its bid to push through the importance of Oral Health Hygiene amongst pupils and teachers in the school engaged a dental expert to teach them reasons to be dental care friendly.

He encouraged the pupils to be more obedient, more committed to their studies and ensure they take the message of oral health hygiene to their parents and guardians, relatives and friends respectively.

Speaking at the event, an Oral Health Therapist, Miss Ogechukwu Nwani, explained and demonstrated to the pupils and teachers the proper way to brush and take care of their teeth.

Nwani said, “The basic materials for cleaning of the teeth are toothbrush and toothpaste.

“The various types of toothbrushes as hard, medium and soft and advised that pupils should use soft texture type of toothbrush.”

She said that toothpastes that contain fluoride should be used always because fluoride is an active ingredient every toothpaste should contain which helps to fortify the teeth against tooth decay.

Nwani explained that the best method of tooth brushing is roll method because it ensures proper cleaning of the teeth while demonstrating to them how best to use the method.

She said that brushing the teeth in a vertical, horizontal or circular motion may not give proper teeth cleaning and may result to teeth and gum damage.

Regular tooth brushing will help remove dental plague from the teeth while failure to do so will lead to gum disease.

“Brushing will go along way to prevent mouth odour which may affect one’s relationship with others in the society.

“Brushing of teeth can help to prevent tooth decay, it helps to enhance one’s aesthetics. If the teeth is clean when you smile, it makes you look more beautiful,”Nwani said.

Nwani also discouraged the audience not to use their teeth to open sharp objects to avoid teeth crack, to avoid sharing of tooth brushes with relatives or friends as it is a personal object to avoid infections.

“The use of dental floss to remove food particles that enters in between the teeth is more ideal instead of toothpick which may cause injury to the gum.

“Ask your parents and guardians to take you to dental clinics every 6 months for dental checkups and professional cleaning of the teeth as it has a lot of role to play in maintenance of good oral hygiene,”she said.

Miss Mmesoma Onwe, a primary six pupil who spoke on behalf of other pupils commended the club for choosing their school for the 2023 rotary year program.

Onwe commended the dental expert on a good teaching given to them on importance of oral hygiene and assured that their take-away lesson would be shared amongst relatives, friends and their parents.

Mrs Margaret Anaenye, Head Mistress of the school assured the team that its teaching would be transferred to other pupils both in the school and outside.