The Nigerian Association of Paediatric Dentistry (NAPD) has urged pregnant women to avoid self-medication and maintain good oral hygiene during pregnancy, warning that their oral health and lifestyle choices could have lasting effects on their children’s dental health.
The association gave the advice during an oral health outreach for expectant mothers at the Gynaecology Clinic of Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan. The outreach formed part of activities marking the association’s 8th Biennial Conference, themed “Smiles for the Future: Advancing Paediatric Dental Care in an Advancing World.”
NAPD President, Prof. Odegwa Joy Eminue, said the association chose to engage pregnant women because healthy teeth begin with proper nutrition, good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. She added that expectant mothers are often more receptive to health information that could benefit their unborn children.
“We are holding our 8th Biennial Conference here in Ibadan, and we want our children to wear healthy smiles at all times. The key message is that healthy teeth begin with proper nutrition, good oral hygiene and regular dental visits,” she said.
According to her, increasing consumption of sugary snacks and changing lifestyles have exposed children to greater risks of tooth decay, making preventive oral healthcare more important than ever.
“When you educate children in schools, they may get home and forget the message. Mothers, especially during pregnancy, are eager to learn how to care for their babies, including their oral health. That is why we brought this message to them,” she said.
Eminue urged expectant mothers to maintain good oral hygiene, noting that poor maternal oral health could affect both mother and child.
“If mothers have gum disease, it can affect their general health and even contribute to premature delivery. There is a clear relationship between oral health and overall health, so caring for the mouth is part of caring for the body,” she said.
Speaking on the prevalence of dental caries among Nigerian children, Eminue said studies had reported varying rates depending on the environment.
“Research has shown that dental caries prevalence ranges from about 12 to 25 per cent, depending on the environment. Some studies have reported figures as low as 6.6 per cent, while one study among children under six recorded 2.3 per cent.
“Even if only one per cent of children are affected, it is significant because we do not want any child to suffer from dental caries. It is painful and remains the most common chronic health condition affecting children worldwide,” she said.
She called on parents to adopt preventive oral healthcare by ensuring healthy diets, proper tooth brushing and regular dental check-ups for their children, stressing that prevention remains the most effective way to reduce childhood dental diseases.
A Consultant Paediatric Dentist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr Bamidele Popoola, warned expectant mothers against the indiscriminate use of drugs, particularly tetracycline, during a health talk, saying it could permanently stain a child’s developing teeth.
She also advised pregnant women to pay close attention to their oral health, noting that hormonal changes during pregnancy could increase the risk of dental problems.
According to her, women who experience excessive salivation should avoid sucking sweets throughout the day and instead chew sugar-free gum containing xylitol.
She added that pregnant women who vomit should rinse their mouths with water rather than brush immediately afterwards to prevent stomach acid from eroding the tooth enamel.
The paediatric dentist stressed that oral hygiene for children should begin as soon as the first tooth erupts.
“The first tooth is the signal to start cleaning a child’s mouth. Introducing oral hygiene early makes it easier for children to develop healthy brushing habits,” she said.
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She also encouraged parents to establish what dentists describe as a “dental home” by taking their children for regular dental check-ups rather than waiting until dental problems develop.
Popoola identified frequent snacking on sugary foods as a major cause of tooth decay among children, advising parents to ensure sugary snacks are eaten at one time rather than continuously throughout the day.
She also advised parents to supervise their children’s brushing, recommending brushing twice daily with only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
On teething, Popoola dismissed the widespread belief that it causes fever, diarrhoea or vomiting.
She explained that babies often develop itchy gums while teething, prompting them to put contaminated objects such as slippers, shoes and fingers into their mouths, thereby exposing themselves to germs that can cause infections.
She noted that the association would continue its oral health education campaigns in schools while extending similar initiatives to antenatal clinics and immunisation centres to reach more mothers.
“We believe that by educating mothers early, we can prevent many oral diseases and give children a healthier start in life,” she said.
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