Advocacy :: Infant Oral Mutilation
The current issue that Dentaid is seeking to take action on is Infant Oral Mutilation (IOM)
What is Infant Oral Mutilation? Infant oral mutilation is the process of gouging out an infant’s healthy baby teeth. A primitive technique is usually employed involving un - sterile knives, bicycle spokes or other bizarre and inappropriate instruments. The result is severe pain and confusion, serious future mouth problems and in the worst case scenario end in the death of the child.
How is it known? The idea of "worms in the mouth" is known by different names depending on the country. In Uganda it is known as ‘ebiino’, in Tanzania as meno ya plastiki (plastic teeth) or mouth worms more generally. The process of removing the teeth is known as enucleation or gouging. The agreed academic name is Infant Oral Mutilation.
Why is it done? When young children with diarrhoea and fevers are taken to be treated by a local healer the soft white tooth buds are mistaken for the fever causing parasite worms, commonly found in diarrhoea. It is believed that the child is unwell because of these ‘mouth worms’ whereas in reality the cause of the illness is something quite different, often malaria, dehydration, or a stomach bug caused by contaminated water.
Who performs IOM? The practice is often administered by village healers for a fee. It is also done by parents, community elders, priests and even midwives all of whom mistakenly believe that they are actually helping the child.
Where does it take place? It is a practice which has been observed in much of Eastern Africa – Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya and Somalia. It is a custom that passes between communities and tribes. More recently there have been many reports of children being presented in Western Clinics, raising the question of this practice potentially occurring in migrant populations.
How real is the problem? Very. It is true that some children do die as a direct result of the practice and that the after effects are hugely detrimental to the child in terms of serious future dental problems such as facial disfigurement, damage to gums and the permanent teeth. In fact in one region of Uganda, infant deaths due to septicaemia, and other infections following Infant Oral Mutilation are reported to be second only to malaria as a cause of infant mortality.
A report on the dentition of Maasai children in Kenya in 1988, showed 35% of 5-7 year olds had undergone removal of deciduous canine tooth buds (Hassanali, 1988). In 1995 a further study reported the percentage of children aged between 3-7 years who had removal of the canine tooth buds to be 72%. This shows that the belief of deciduous canines causing febrile illness in children is spreading.
One of the most serious problems of the practice of Infant Oral Mutilation is that the misdiagniosis of ‘mouth worms’ as the cause of what is actually making the child ill means that the real source of the problem goes unidentified. Many illnesses could be cured if caught early on but may well cause much more serious illness or potentially death if left undiagnosed and untreated.
How well recognised is the problem? Incredibly Infant Oral Mutilation is hardly recognised let alone strategically or significantly combated as any kind of major health issue. Even many Western dentists have not heard of the practice.
What is Dentaid going to do about it? Dentaid has adopted combating IOM as one of its major priorities over the next few years. We have now embarked on a process intended to bring the practice of IOM out into the forefront of public awareness and end the needless pain and suffering that it causes. To this end Dentaid has created an IOM action team to focus on implementing a strategy to deal with the very real problem of IOM.
If you are interested in getting involved there are several ways that Dentaid needs your help.
Volunteering to partake in research and education initiatives in IOM affected countries.
Carrying out education initiatives in outreach programmes, community centres and schools in IOM affected areas.
An elective study into IOM.
Carrying out further UK based IOM related research, perhaps as part of an Undergraduate or Masters course.
Providing essential financial support to allow the action team to take the project forward.
Sponsoring the cost of helping Dentaid to create a DVD to raise awareness of IOM.
Sponsoring a Dentaid online IOM library.
To download this information in a PDF please click below
If you are interested in any of these possibilities please contact Nicky at Dentaid on nicky@dentaid.org or 01794 325146.