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Dental Surgeon cautions children against sugary foods
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A Dental Surgeon in Accra has attributed the soaring cases of tooth decay among children, to consumption of too much sugary products.
Dr Esther Priscilla Biamah Danquah, at PEB Dental Clinic again said that eating in-between meals also cause obesity among children.
Tooth decay, she explained, is the softening of the tooth enamel which causes damage to the structure of the tooth, by acids that are created when bacteria break down sugar in the mouth.
Keeping a good oral hygiene among children is a collective concern of the parents and the family as a whole.
This notwithstanding, she said that, “parents who go to work and leave their children at home make them prey to tooth decay because they eat a lot of sugary foods in the absence of their parents.”
Stages of tooth decay
The Dental Surgeon indicated that, there were four stages of tooth decay that occur in both children and adults.
She said the Enamel Caries, which is the first stage, is when cavity developes in the enamel resulting in food packing and bad breadth.
She explained that another stage known as Dentine Caries is when the cavity is extended into dentine and one begins to experience sharp pain due to intake of sweet products and cold or hot stimulus.
The Pulpal Infection, she said is another stage when the cavity progresses into pulp and one could have a spontaneous pain which keeps one awake at night.
The last process, the dentist explained was known as Apical Infection, when the contamination progresses to the apex of the tooth and may lead to pain on chewing.
Causes
According to her, sugar is a major cause of tooth decay among children which hinders their dental health and places a risk on their general health.
She indicated that an arrangement of the tooth was a factor that could cause tooth decay.
The dentist added that eating before sleeping was a cause of tooth decay mostly found in children who often ate before going to bed “bottle feeding”.
Prevention
Dr. Danquah said good oral hygiene practice by brushing the teeth twice a day could prevent one from getting tooth decay, and advised all to reduce sugar intake.
She admonished parents to teach children the proper brushing techniques which involved brushing the teeth in circles and said that one must brush the teeth or rinse the mouth after every meal and cautioned parents to ensure children rinse their mouths after eating and also inculcate the habit of taking fruits among their children.
She stressed that parents and their children should go for regular dental check-up and often go for professional cleaning of the teeth.
Complications
The Dental Surgeon said one could endure severe pains and also encounter swollen of the jaw which often led to an infection called ‘abscess’.
A form of tooth decay called ‘Ludwigs Angina’ can kill an individual.
She emphasised that tooth decay causes bad breadth among the young and old.
Dr. Danquah said tooth decay changes the colour of the teeth to brown and later changes it to black.
“The top-most dental problems include, tooth decay, periodontitis and bad breadth”, she hinted.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
Construction of a major underground stormwater drain along the Dr. Busia Highway within the Kaneshie enclave will commence on September 7, 2026.
The Project Coordinator for the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, Dr. Kwadwo Ohene Sarfo, announced this at a special media briefing on Wednesday.
According to him, the works will involve the construction of a double-cell underground rectangular drain measuring approximately 10 metres wide and 1.95 kilometres long, stretching from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction.
The new drain will replace the existing two 1.2-metre diameter pipes, which are inadequate to carry the volume of stormwater in the area.
Dr. Sarfo said the drain will connect at one end to the recently completed section within the Accra Academy campus and at the other end to the existing drain at Pamprom Junction.
He said the construction is expected to run from September 2026 to October 2027.
The project forms part of government’s broader flood prevention and mitigation programme aimed at addressing perennial flooding in Accra.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has withdrawn from the party’s National Chairmanship race.
In a statement issued yesterday, Chairman Wontumi who is currently serving a 20-year jail term said his decision was driven by his love for the party and his unwillingness to let his personal circumstances distract the NPP from its rebuilding efforts.
“There are moments in the life of a man when the heart wants to continue, but duty demands sacrifice. Moments when one must quietly set aside personal ambition, not because the dream has died, but because the family he loves must not be made to carry his burden. Today, I find myself at such a painful moment,” he wrote.
He disclosed that after many nights of prayer, sober reflection and consultations with his family, legal team, party elders, campaign team and trusted supporters, he concluded that his present situation must not become an additional burden on the NPP.
“This is not the decision my heart desired, but sometimes, true love requires us to release what we deeply want in order to protect what we love even more,” he added.
Recounting his years of service, Chairman Wontumi said he had served the party with everything within him, walking through heat and rain, travelling to remote communities and standing with the grassroots in both victory and defeat.
“For many years, I have served the NPP with everything within me… The NPP is not merely a political party to me. It is my family. It is my home. It is a cause to which I have dedicated a significant part of my life,” he stated.
He explained that the party, already carrying the pain of electoral defeat and the huge responsibility of preparing for the future, should not be made to carry his personal weight.
“That is why I cannot allow my present situation or personal ambition to distract the party from the difficult work of rebuilding. I cannot ask the party to carry my weight when it is already carrying the pain of defeat and the enormous responsibility of preparing for the battle ahead. I would rather carry this pain quietly than allow the party I love to suffer because of me,” he said.
He further sympathized with his supporters across the 16 regions, acknowledging that the decision would be painful for many who had sacrificed for his campaign.
“To my teeming supporters across all sixteen regions, I know this message will hurt. I know many of you will read it with tears in your eyes because I understand the sacrifices you have made for this journey,” he said.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
