Tema-Ghana, April 24, CDA Consult – Dr. Mensah Tabi-Amankwa, a Dentist at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), has stated that if a tooth infection is not treated, it is possible to cause death.
Dr. Tabi-Amankwa, noted that dental infections such as sores and ulcers in the mouth can extend beyond the jaw and cause life-threatening issues by restricting the airway travelling down the neck.
Dr. Tabi-Amankwa made the remarks at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility,” a Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting communication on health-related topics and providing a platform for the dissemination of health information in order to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy.
Your Health is the GNA-Tema! Our Collective Responsibility programme also functions as a public health advocacy platform, with the goal of investigating the boundaries of the four ways to health communication: informing, educational, persuasive, and urging.
On the topic of “Oral Health,” the IMaH Dentist stated that any sore in the mouth that does not produce pain and lasts more than three weeks without healing could be an early symptom of cancer.
Furthermore, stress created ulcers within and around the corners of the mouth, indicating that minerals like iron or vitamin B12 in the body were not adequately balanced.
He claims that while a hole in the tooth may not produce discomfort, if left untreated, it can create a bloated face that spreads to other parts of the body.
He described cavities as a loss of tooth tissue that moved to food accumulating in the hole and, over time, transitioning to persistent pain, difficulty swallowing cold water, and, finally, a face swallow.
He explained that the serious, spreading infection was caused by a bacteria in the tooth that was capable of breaking down some body tissue and releasing toxic byproducts, causing it to move to the neck, prohibiting eating and swallowing and eventually choking the patient to death.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency Tema, “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” is part of a collaborative effort to establish a means of disseminating health information in order to influence individual health decisions by increasing health literacy.
He also mentioned that it intends to leverage the Ghana News Agency’s and medical experts’ communication skills to inform the public that everyone’s health is vital and should be prioritised.
Mr. Ameyibor said the health of parents should be a priority for children, as should the health of employees and employers, as well as the public and health professionals.
He recognised that everyone must be involved in order to develop a healthy society.
Mr. Ameyibor said in order to have a healthy society, everyone must be concerned about the well-being of others.
The weekly health debate platform, according to Mr. Ameyibor, will also be used as a useful channel of communication for health specialists to educate the public about healthy behaviours and other general health concerns.
