Poor hygiene and oral health

Oral health is still a major problem among Rwandans. There is no official statistic on the prevalence on Oral diseases; however, according to information from Oral Health Foundation Rwanda (OHFR), about 60 percent of children suffer tooth decay, while the situation among adults is even worse due to accidents and diseases like mouth cancer. Dr Lt Col Frank Rwema a dentist at the Kanombe Military Hospital, says there was need for a policy on Oral Health that can be integrated in the community health programs.“The Ministry of Health has this policy on Oral health in the pipe line” he revealed. Rwema said the highest among oral diseases in Rwanda was tooth decay which was very common among children between the age of 12 and above while gum disease is very common among adults. “Most causes of all dental issues is poor oral hygiene, when you don’t brush properly your teeth it’s easy to get periodontal disease caused by plaque and tatres”, he explained.He said with the policy in place, sensitisation campaigns will be frequently made to create awareness among the populace. The Military hospital carries out community outreaches every month. According to Dr Rwema, they receive more than 500 patients in five days. “If you are able to treat over hundred people in five days in our community outreaches, this shows that a lot ought to be done” he continued.