In commemoration to World Oral Heath Day celebrated on the 20th March 2023, the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) hosted an awareness program to mark the day at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences to create awareness about the significance of oral health & to educate individuals about the different oral hygiene practices that one should be following on a daily basis.
UPNG Dental Students Association President Lazarus Wamp said that the PNG Dental Association usually carries out this awareness program but for this year they took the initiative to celebrate this day.
He added that oral diseases are a major health concern for many Papua New Guineans and these needs to be addressed so that people are aware of it.
“In order to look after one’s oral health is to brush his/her teeth twice a day to avoid oral cavities, eat health foods and minimize smoking and the intake of alcohol.”
“We have to be responsible with our intake of whatever we consume. Because the wrong intake can not only harm your oral health, but also your internal organs as well.”
He is urging everyone to practice good oral health because PNG does not have the proper equipment and treatment to treat mouth cancer and other mouth disease in the country.
He added that, there’s not much investment put into dentistry to provide such services to our people to cure, prevent and to carry out more awareness on the importance of oral health, and the rightful authorities need to look into this.
“The government needs to invest into Dentistry and not neglect it. The PMGH Dentistry takes about 20-40 patients a day and we do not have enough equipment to serve our people.”