Oral diseases contribute significantly to the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) burden, with untreated dental caries (tooth decay) affecting approximately 2.4 billion people worldwide. Additionally, oral cancer ranks among the ten most common cancers, and periodontal disease (gum disease) affects up to 50% of the global population.
Poor oral health can negatively impact an individual's self-esteem and quality of life, as toothaches, mouth sores, bad breath, and other oral issues often cause discomfort and embarrassment. Moreover, oral health is closely linked to general health, with poor oral health being both a result and cause of poor overall health.
It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...