…As Expert recommends frequent fibroids checks, to avoid complications***
Dr Albert Akhidenor, a dentist says it is proven that poor hygiene of pregnant mothers can lead to delivering of premature babies and to low weight baby.
Akhidenor, who is the Chief Executive Officer, Community Oral Health Initiative, an NGO, disclosed this in an interview with the newsmen in Abuja.
He said that mothers with poor hygiene could easily transfer diseases to their babies through kisses.
According to him, oral health of mothers will directly improve the health of their new born babies.
In addition, Akhidenor said poor nutrition could also cause poor oral hygiene.
“For the teeth to develop very well, you need balance diet.
“Diet filled with refined sugar and sweet is not healthy for the teeth. With poor diet, the whole formation of teeth is affected,’’ he said.
Akhidenor, however, expressed optimism that the 2020 National Oral Health Policy, formulated by the Federal Ministry of Health would address the burden of oral diseases in the country.
“An oral health policy helps to harness political, economic and socio-cultural factors at the individual, family, community, national and international levels.’’
He said that the policy would address poor access to oral care service if well implemented.
“By 2025, at least 50 per cent of the population should be able to have access to oral care.
Also read: Gynaecologist tasks pregnant women on routine dental check
“We are looking at situation where all the Primary Health Care Centres in the country will have a dentist by that time.
“We are looking at all women having antenatal clinic, have access to oral care information.
“We are also looking at the situation where oral health education is included in science curriculum in schools so that children can be educated.’’
The 2020 National Oral Health Policy, which was validated by stakeholders on Dec. 17, 2019 will be ready before the next National Council on Health in June.
In the meantime, Dr Mary Kigho, a medical practitioner in Universal Hospital, Benin, has advised patients with Uterine fibroids to go for frequent medical checkups to avoid further complications.
Kigho gave the advice in an interview on Friday in Benin.
She defined uterine fibroids as “non-cancerous growths in the uterus that can develop during a woman’s childbearing years”.
She, however, said that frequent checkups and proper medications without failure would help to manage it.
Kigho said uterine fibroids also called leiomyomas (lie-o-my-O-muhs) or myomas, was not associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never developed into cancer.
“Fibroids range in size from seedlings, undetectable by the human eye to bulky masses that can distort and enlarge the uterus.
“A person can have a single fibroid or multiple ones. In some cases, multiple fibroids can expand the uterus so much that it reaches the rib cage and can add weight.
“The treatment of fibroids includes medication and removal of the fibroid through a surgery,’’ she said.
According to her, many women do not know they have uterine fibroids because they often cause no symptoms at the early stage.
Kigho said women who had symptoms, the most common signs and symptoms of uterine fibroids include, having menstrual bleeding, and menstrual periods lasting more than a week, pelvic pressure or pain.
Others are frequent urination, difficulty emptying the bladder, constipation, backache or leg pains.
She said preventing uterine fibroids was possible and only a small percentage of these tumours required treatment.