A dentist, Dr. Olamilekan Fatokun, said many people do not visit dental clinics until their problems become serious. He explained that this is mostly because dental treatment is too expensive for many people.
Dr. Fatokun stressed the need for regular dental check-ups. He said that free dental programmes can help people get treatment early, before their condition worsens.
He spoke during the 10th free dental outreach programme by the Gbolahan Yishawu Foundation, held in Lagos.
Dr. Fatokun said people often avoid dentists because they cannot afford the high cost. He added that free programmes like this give people a chance to get help in time.
He advised people to visit the dentist every six months, even if they don’t feel any pain or have symptoms.
Another dentist, Dr. Banjo Oluwasegun, raised concern about high blood pressure levels among many people who attended the event.
He said the lowest blood pressure they recorded was 150, and even a 15-year-old had 145. He said this was worrying and that people need to be more aware of their general health, not just their teeth.
Dr. Oluwasegun also praised the growing awareness about dental health. He said that earlier, most people came for tooth extractions, but now more are coming for preventive care like fillings and cleanings.
He mentioned that on the first day alone, over 50 people got fitted with dentures. He said this shows that people are now taking better care of their teeth because of regular outreach and education.
Gbolahan Yishawu, the founder of the foundation, said that more than 12,000 people from Eti-Osa Constituency 02 have received free dental care through the programme.
Yishawu, who is also a lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly, said each outreach is very important. He said the programme helps people who cannot afford proper dental treatment.
He added that by the end of this year’s programme, they would have completed over 15,000 dental procedures since the programme began.
Two people who got help from the programme thanked the organisers. They said the programme has helped many people in the community.
One woman, Mrs. Ihedioha Pauline, said she couldn’t pay for her son’s tooth treatment at a hospital. So she waited for the free programme, and now her son is fine. She also came for her own dental care.
Another man, Mr. Adesola Ekemode, praised the lawmaker’s efforts. He said his whole family has benefited from the programme. He hopes the lawmaker stays in office to continue helping people.
The programme provided many types of dental treatments, including tooth removal, fillings, cleaning, surgeries, root canals, and dentures.
For complicated cases that couldn’t be treated at the outreach, patients were referred to clinics, where they got free treatment. The programme covered all the costs.
