Dental health for steps children
Dental health is crucial for the well-being of children, especially in Namibia, where access to dental care is often limited. With steps for children, we are actively committed to children's dental health by offering regular dental examinations and educational programs from 2024. By providing dental instruments, toothbrushes and oral hygiene products, we promote caries prevention and support the healthy development of our steps children, young people and employees.
Dental health can prevent many things - not only tooth decay and other tooth or gum infections, but can also reduce the risk of various diseases. Good oral hygiene is crucial to minimize inflammation in the body, which is linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even respiratory diseases.
Prevention promotes dental health for steps children
In order to incorporate oral hygiene into the everyday life of the steps children as early as possible, teeth are brushed every morning in our educational centers from an early age. A varied and wholesome diet also contributes significantly to dental health. For example, fresh, unprocessed foods strengthen tooth enamel with valuable vitamins and minerals. That is why dental health is an important part of the nutrition initiative planned for 2025 at steps.
Regular dental examinations
The dental health of our steps children, young people and employees is now supported by regular dental examinations. In October, the first outpatient dentist appointment took place in Okakarara: Both kindergarten children and older guardian angel children willingly agreed to an initial examination and were prepared for possible interventions that will take place during a follow-up visit. This allowed them to get used to the idea and gain trust grasp to dentist Dr. Maria Mai, who has already worked for the aid organization “Dentists Without Borders.” Major treatments are not carried out on an outpatient basis, but in the operating room of the hospital in Okakarara.
The dentist
The dentist did not let herself be dissuaded from her plan to improve dental health in steps children - even though, as an already qualified dentist, she had to take another exam to be allowed to practice in Namibia. But now the time has come: with her portable dentist's chair, dental instruments and X-ray machine, her outpatient dental practice now offers our educational centers in Namibia the opportunity to receive professional treatment.
And the examinations are necessary: six employees had to have a tooth pulled at the first appointment. Even if pulling teeth is unavoidable in some cases, the primary goal is to preserve the teeth. To achieve this, we would like to conduct dental health training courses as part of the project in the future.
THE DENTAL HEALTH PROJECT URGENTLY NEEDS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT!
Support us now by donating for materials such as dental instruments, toothbrushes and other oral hygiene products as well as for travel to our steps education centers in Namibia. Your donation enables regular dental examinations, possible major procedures and promotes dental health.
FOR DENTAL HEALTH