During the process of the Dentaid Oral Health Programme many cases of Infant Oral Mutilation have been seen in the children who have been screened. The practice leads to the deformation of the underlying adult teeth. It also leads to disfigurement of the mouth and face due to the damage to gums and permanent teeth.

These children however are the relatively lucky ones. Some children suffer much more serious consequences of the practice such as life threatening infections like septicaemia, tetanus and noma which lead to serious illness or death. Many more suffer or die as a result of their original illness not being correctly diagnosed and treated in the first instance.

Dentaid is determined to see an end to this practice and believes that education is the key to achieving this. The Dentaid Oral Health Promotion Programme is currently running in fifteen schools in Uganda and will shortly expand into six new schoolls. will now include more information on the practice of IOM. Educational initiatives will also be extended into the local communities and aimed predominantly at reaching parents and traditional healers. This is essential to the success of eradicating the practice of IOM and ensuring that all these children will survive unscarred to receive an education in the future.  

For more information about how you can become involved in this initiative or to get involved with the schools programme please contact Nicky at Dentaid on nicky@dentaid.org or 01794 325146.