About 50.4 million Kenyans are walking without at least one or two teeth.

The government is grappling with an answer for this as it raises concern over six mouth diseases with a link to the ever rising burden of non-communicable disease (NCDs) burden in the country.

Periodontal disease, the Ministry indicates is a major cause of tooth loss, and in Kenya, over 90 percent of the total population had periodontal disease.

According to the Ministry of Health’s Oral Health Survey (2022), over 50 percent of Kenyans, about 28 million, suffer from untreated dental caries also known as tooth decay, while more than 90 percent, an estimated 50.4 million show signs of gum disease.

“Untreated dental caries (tooth decay) in permanent teeth is a global problem, and Kenya is no exception. The first Kenya National Oral Health Survey in 2015 found that over 46 percent of children aged 5 years had dental caries,” according to the Ministry as the country joins the World Oral Health Day 2025.

As Kenya joins the international community in marking the World Oral Health Day 2025, the government has stepped up a campaign to sensitise Kenyans on oral hygiene to avert possible fatalities. The other four mouth diseases that could lead to NCDs include; tooth loss, oral cancers, dental fluorosis, and noma, a severe gangrenous disease starting in the mouth, which mostly affects children.

Consequently, Director General of Health, Dr Patrick Amoth is encouraging communities, healthcare providers, and stakeholders to support this initiative by participating in the World Oral Health Day activities. He is also asking Kenyans to spread awareness about the importance of oral health.

“Oral health is essential for overall well-being. A healthy mouth enables individuals to eat, speak, and socialise without discomfort or embarrassment, ultimately improving confidence and quality of life,” he said in a statement.

Oral hygiene

He urged Kenyans to take proactive steps in maintaining good oral hygiene, including regular brushing and flossing, reducing sugar intake, and seeking routine dental check-ups.

The theme for this year’s World Oral Health Day is “A Happy Mouth is a Happy Mind.” The event will take place at Nduluku Primary and Junior Secondary School in Makueni County.

“This event aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and its connection to mental health and overall well-being,” Dr Amoth said.

To demonstrate why the issue of oral hygiene is of concern, already the Ministry has kicked off awarenesses activities at Afya House, the National Treasury and are ongoing at Defence Forces Memorial Hospital and Kyambeke Primary School and select subcounty hospitals in Makueni.

Oral health, the DG said is a fundamental component of general health, contributing to a better quality of life and reducing the burden of oral diseases in our communities.

Further, poor oral health has been linked to severe health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and respiratory infections, underscoring the need for preventive care and early intervention.

The Kenya National Oral Health Policy (2022-2030) and the Kenya National Oral Health Strategic Plan (2022-2026) provide a framework for integrated preventive measures, early intervention strategies, and community-based initiatives.

Oral Health Day

“These efforts align with this year’s World Oral Health Day theme and reinforce the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring accessible and affordable oral healthcare for all Kenyans, the Ministry is further working to protect human health and the environment from the effects of mercury through development of the Kenya National Dental Amalgam Phase Down Plan based on the country’s Oral Health Policy and Strategic Plan Strategic objective,” he said.

Through the oral health section and community health division, the Ministry has included an oral health module in the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) training curriculum to educate the CHPs on oral health. Oral health indicators are now integrated into the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) to get household data on oral health.

In addition, the Ministry of Health is in the process of integrating oral health indicators into the Kenya Health Information System-2 (KHIS-2) so as to get facility-based data to inform policy and oral health interventions.

Risk factors and determinants of health most oral diseases are of multifactorial origin; yet they share a core common group of modifiable risk factors with many NCDs and injuries. These risk factors include tobacco usage, alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets high in free sugars, all of which are increasingly accessible at the global and regional level.

There is a proven relationship between oral and general health.It is reported, for example, that diabetes mellitus is linked with the development and progression of periodontitis.

Moreover, there is a causal link between high sugar consumption and diabetes, obesity and dental caries. Addressing these risk factors through an integrated approach is key to controlling and preventing the four major NCDs thereby improving the oral health status of populations.

AHD since they believe it only affects those individuals who had HIV for long or confuse it with non-communicable diseases such as hypertension or diabetes.

However, AHD is mainly linked with conditions where HIV is unmanaged that lead to severe damage to the body.