Session satellite
15 February
14:30-15:45
Mezzanine
Bo Danielsen
Dental Health without Borders & University of Copenhagen
Joseph Mucumbitsi
Rwanda NCD Alliance
Francois Uwinkindi
Rwanda Biomedical Centre
The influence of Oral Diseases on other NCDs and Public Health – inspiration from Rwanda
Oral diseases are not only the most widespread NCDs affecting half of the world’s population, but they also worsen many other NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Oral and systemic health and diseases are bidirectional linked. Thus, poor oral health can contribute to systemic conditions and diseases and conversely many systemic conditions can enhance oral diseases. To promote better public health, we, therefore, need to include better oral health. In Rwanda we have developed and implemented a school based oral health program. We have motivated and educated teachers to perform daily tooth brushing with the children and to teach them to become oral health literate. This has resulted in a remarkable drop in children having toothache and children being absent from school thereby improving their general well-being. We work closely with national authorities to utilize this knowledge to benefit all children in Rwanda through a national program.