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

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. Keywords: Oral Health, Population explosion, Health security, Utilization AbstraitContexte : Malgre l’accroissement de la population du pays, seuls quelques Nigerians ont acces aux soins de sante bucco-dentaire, ce qui semble directement responsable de la forte prevalence des maladies bucco-dentaires et du taux eleve de besoins non satisfaits dans le pays. Les quelques etablissements et personnels dentaires du pays sont situes de maniere disproportionnee dans les zones urbaines, laissant la majorite de la population sans soins. Methodes : La recherche sur l’internet a ete effectuee a l’aide de PubMed et du Google Scolaire. La recherche dans une bibliotheque locale a ete effectuee manuellement pour retrouver la litterature sur la sante bucco-dentaire au Nigeria. Les mots de recherche utilises incluent maladie parodontale / parodontite, caries dentaires, prevalence de la maladie dentaire, utilisation des services dentaires et Nigeria. Resultats : Aucune etude nationale n’a ete observee lors de la recherche. Presque toutes les etudes percues ont fait etat d’une prevalence elevee de la maladie parodontale, tandis que quelques-unes des etudes sur la carie dentaire ont signale une reduction de la condition. Cependant, de nombreuses etudes sur les caries dentaires ont signale une augmentation progressive de la prevalence de la condition. Un taux faible d’utilisation a generalement ete signale, etant donne que de nombreux Nigerians n’utilisant des services dentaires que lorsqu’ils souffrent. Conclusion : Une croissance de la population s’accompagnera a une correspondante croissance en prevalence des maladies bucco-dentaires et d’un besoin accru de soins de sante bucco-dentaire, ce qui sera desastreux sans une planification adequate. Mots - cles : Sante bucco - dentaire, Explosion demographique, Securite sanitaire, Utilisation Correspondence: Dr. O.I. Opeodu, Department of Periodontology and Community Dentistry, College of Medicine, Unversity of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. opeodulanre1971@gmail.com