Oral Health Security in Nigeria: Analysis of the current situation and projections towards 2050

Abstract

Background: Despite the increasing population in the country, only a few Nigerians have access to oral health care, which seems directly responsible for the high prevalence of oral diseases and the high rate of unmet needs in the country. The few dental facilities and personnel in the country are disproportionately located in the urban areas leaving majority of the population without care. Methods: Internet search was done using PubMed and google scholar. Local library search was done manually to retrieve literature on oral health in Nigeria. Search words that were used include periodontal disease/periodontitis, dental caries, prevalence of dental disease, dental service utilization and Nigeria. Results: No national study was seen during the search. Almost all the retrieved studies reported a high prevalence of periodontal disease, while a few of the studies on dental caries reported a decline in the condition. However, many of the studies on dental caries reported a gradual increase in the prevalence of the condition. A low rate of utilization was generally reported as many Nigerians utilize dental services only when in pain. Conclusion: An increase in the population will be accompanied by a corresponding increase in the prevalence of oral diseases and increased need for oral health care, and this will be disastrous without adequate planning