The President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the National champion for Oral Senator David Mark has re-echoed the centrality and essence of having healthy mouths at the dual occasion of the  culmination of the 2014 World Oral Health Day and National Oral Health Conference, with the theme ‘Celebrating Healthy Smiles’ in Abuja.

Delivering the keynote address, Senator Mark who was represented at the World Oral Health Day celebration by Senator Gyang Pwajok , the deputy chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, enthused that it was ‘an opportunity to assemble all stakeholders in Oral Health ‘to distillate ideas that will bring Nigeria to the pride of place among the comity of Nations and increase the level of awareness on the importance of oral health to general health and promote healthy living worldwide.

In the same vein, the Honourable Minister of Health and chief host at the event, Professor C.O Onyebuchi Chukwu emphasized the importance of oral health promotion as a national task and also reiterated government’s commitment towards quality health for all Nigerian, including oral health.

On his part, the WR Dr. Rui Vaz, recalled that In April 2011, the Ministers of Health of the WHO African region committed themselves through the adoption of the Brazzaville declaration on NCDs that oral diseases are integral part of the target NCDs of the region. He highlighted that the global initiative against NCDs provides a unique opportunity for the oral health community to operate a great turning point and to develop innovative policy options for greater recognition of oral health as well as directly contributing to the fight against NCDs and their risk factors.

The WR further pointed that in order for oral disease prevention and control to be effective and sustainable, health systems will require extensive strengthening particularly at primary care level through simple and affordable services addressing the most common oral conditions

Highlights of the commemoration of the Oral Health 2014 in Nigeria, was the inauguration of the Oral Health Ambassadors and performance by school children.