A dentist, Olufemi Orebanjo, said on Thursday that regular oral checks can help to detect underlying diseases requiring early treatment.

Mr Orebanjo, a former medical director of Ajeromi General Hospital in Ajegunle, Lagos, spoke during an interview in Lagos.

According to him, oral hygiene is key and essential to the general well-being of the body.

The World Health Organisation defines oral health as the state of the mouth, teeth, and orofacial structures that allows people to perform essential functions such as eating, breathing, and speaking.

Oral health is linked to overall health, and poor oral hygiene can increase the risk of other health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and pneumonia.

“The mouth is the gateway to the body and whatever happens in the other parts of the body has a way of manifesting in the mouth. Diabetes, for example, can be detected through oral check at an early stage that will help such a patient to receive early treatment, not to talk of other impacts that the mouth itself can have on the body. So, when you don’t take care of the mouth, which is the gateway of the body, the rest of the body will be sick,” he said.

Mr Orebanjo advised Nigerians to go for oral checkups at least twice a year to maintain good hygiene.

(NAN)