Oral Health TANZANIA

Before our first day of programming we did not know how in depth we would be able to go with oral health education. We did not know what the demographics would be…..

Prior to departure our expectations of our role was that our knowledge would be incorporated into the activities planned for the children and youth. Upon arrival during our first days of programming we were surprised to discover a designated group of women and their children who were expecting an oral health discussion from us. With limited preparation we were able to provide the mothers, their children and other family members with a basic oral health education session.

There was a major language barrier between English and Kiswahili preventing us from effectively communicating. We were fortunate enough to have Mona, an active CPAR employee, with us to translate. We have begun each session with an introduction to infant oral health care. With the permission of a mother, we were able to effectively demonstrate infant oral health care on her child. This consisted of basic homecare instruction in order to prevent gum and tooth related issues. It made us feel more connected with the community members which allowed them in turn to feel more comfortable.

While toothbrushes are available to purchase, a common replacement called the miswaki stick (made from a twig of a tree) is used. In conversation with community members we discovered that toothbrushes are not viewed as a necessity. With the use of our large mouth models we could visually demonstrate an appropriate brushing technique.

Finally, with the use of a felt board and a tooth brushing song we stressed the importance of brushing twice a day for two minutes each time as well as how bacteria can transfer from parent to child.

Any questions the audience may have had were answered at the end. We have gotten an abundance of fantastic questions and mothers wanting us to check their children’s mouths.

After the completion of our presentation we asked permission to come around and check their children’s mouths. It was interesting to see the development and conditions present, such as staining and placement of erupting baby teeth.

We have taught over 300 people, predominately woman and their young children. Our sessions have ranged from 45 minutes to 2 hours in length. Each health centre we have visited there have been a group of individuals who have been expecting an oral health education session. Everyone has been very attentive and involved in our oral health programming. We can see that they are making the connection between their health and oral health and are motivated to actively learn.

 We have been so pleased with the involvement and interest in oral health, and we truly believe we have made an impact. We hope that the knowledge and education we provided will be passed on to fellow community members and passed on to generations to come. We also hope that the knowledge we have provided will encourage change in the current availability in dental services.

We wish we could stay longer!! (But we do miss home)

Holly Ainsworth, Rebecca Cook, Meagan Wilson