80-year-old man wey bin dey use sand to clean im teeth don get im own toothbrush
80-year-old Isa Adamu wey dey stay for Kano for northern Nigeria say e dey enjoy am after e recently become owner of toothbrush after many years of using sand and stick to dey brush teeth.
Di father of seven tell BBC say wetin im dey do before na to find wia di sand dey clean, pack am put for mouth then begin dey use hand to rinse im teeth until e clean or sometimes pluck stick from trees to use brush im teeth. “Na my pikin buy toothbrush for me and im mother, before na only sand and sometimes stick i sabi but my pikin say e beta make me and im mother dey use toothbrush and i dey enjoy am pass.” “Me na pesin wey bin dey travel to different places before, Lagos, Plateau and different places but e no dey occur to me to buy toothbrush at di time because di method wey i dey use dey work for me.” Isa wey dey work as gateman at di moment say when e bin dey use sand, im wife dey tease am say im mouth dey ooze but now she no dey complain again. Wetin expert tok about sand to brush teeth? Idris Ado na dental therapist for Aminu Kano Hospital and on dis issue, e tell BBC say wetin Isah bin dey do before e get toothbrush no dey entirely wrong but pipo like am wey still remain suppose dey add salt for di sand to comot some of di bacteria wey dey mouth. "Wetin Mallam Isah bin dey do with sand no entirely dey wrong because e get pipo like that wey still dey use sand or charcoal but dem suppose dey add salt to di sand to remove bacteria and also get chewing stick wey dem go dey use clean tongue because na place wey dey host plenti bacteria too." Na so Ado tok. Dr Ado also tok say oral hygiene dey important because di mouth na di gateway to di stomach and wetin affect am dey affect di general health of pesin.