The Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) on Saturday cautioned Nigerians against careless oral habits, saying the mouth is a sensitive organ that must be properly cared for.

President of the association, Dr Emedom Elias, gave the advice while speaking at the ongoing 58th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association in Abuja.

Mr Elias warned against the practice of using the teeth to open bottle drinks, noting that such acts could cause tooth fractures or gum tears.

He said these injuries often progress into more serious conditions with severe consequences for oral health.

He stressed that such habits must stop, adding that the mouth is too delicate to be subjected to harmful practices.

Speaking on how to build a thriving dental practice, the NDA President said dental equipment must be readily accessible to practitioners for quality service delivery.

He added that public awareness and regular patient visits were essential for sustaining dental practice in the country.

“In building a thriving dental practice, it is not enough to establish a clinic. The equipment needed to do the work must be available. People need awareness and education on dental issues, and training for dental personnel must be carried out regularly,” he said.

Mr Elias also identified inadequate funding as a major challenge affecting the growth of the dental profession in Nigeria.

He said the only way government could improve access to dental care was by ensuring that dental services were available in rural areas.

According to him, most dental clinics; including government-owned facilities are located in urban areas, leaving rural communities underserved.

“If you go to the rural areas, you hardly find dental clinics. Most of us are located in the urban areas,” he said.

He further recommended integrating dental services into primary healthcare centres to expand access.

He added, “If the government does this, the issue of accessing dentistry will be largely addressed across the states.”