World Oral Health Day – 20th March

Small swelling grows to life-threatening tumour – a global need for dental provision
World Oral Health Day, Thursday 20th March

A small tumour, that should have been picked up in a routine dental scan, grew to become a life-threatening facial tumour for 23-year-old Alex from Sierra Leone. 

The tumour’s impact was devastating, causing Alex difficulty with eating, speaking and swallowing. He became increasingly isolated as the tumour caused infections, tooth loss, and even emitted a bad odour, forcing Alex’s family to stop sharing utensils with him. 

On World Oral Health Day, international health charity Mercy Ships is raising awareness of the global need for dental provision, especially for women, men and children with very little access to dental care in sub-Saharan Africa. 

David Gray, a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at The Royal London Dental Hospital explains how access to preventative dentistry is essential: “World Oral Health Day is so important for drawing awareness to prevention through increased understanding of self-care and diet.”  

In the UK, David points out, there is a growing issue with access to routine dental care within the NHS. 

“Limited access to dental services can lead to severe consequences beyond just dental disease,” David says. “Without regular dental visits, serious conditions like oral cancers can go undetected, often only becoming apparent at more advanced stages.” 

In May 2024, David spent three weeks volunteering with Mercy Ships aboard the Global Mercy, a floating hospital ship providing much-needed healthcare in Sierra Leone. 

The situation is even more critical in Sierra Leone, where the need for dental care is immense. 

“There is very limited routine or emergency dental care in Sierra Leone,” David explains. “While the UK has an established, though struggling, infrastructure to provide dental care, Sierra Leone lacks these resources entirely. This disparity is part of why we see more advanced cases, such as that of Alex.”

In the UK, 1 dentist serves around 2,000 people. Compare this to Sierra Leone where 1 dentist serves 700,000 people.  

“I worked in one of the two dental surgeries, alongside dentist, Dr Salematou Camara trained at Guinea’s first public dental school,” David recalls. “Every day, we provided dental check-ups, extractions, and fillings.”

David highlights the challenges faced by those living in poverty. 

For people struggling to afford food for their families, basic items such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, let alone routine dental check-ups, are often out of reach,” he says. “Globally, there is a pressing need to increase access to dental care. We should never see people like Alex facing life-threatening consequences from untreated conditions, such as tumours.

Thankfully Alex’s family learned through a government advertisement that Mercy Ships was returning to Sierra Leone after more than a decade. Alex was approved for surgery on board the hospital ship, the Global Mercy.

The first surgery in October 2023 required removing a significant part of Alex’s jaw. In April 2024, Alex returned for his second surgery to reconstruct his jaw using bone from his hip, which was also a success.

Reflecting on the transformation, Alex said:

I was very happy, especially when people were around me and when they were hugging me.

The joy extended to his return home. 

“I shed tears of joy when I first saw him after his surgery,” said his mother, Zainab. “I immediately hugged him and started thanking God for curing my son. The place was crowded with people who were surprised and happy for him.”

With his health and confidence restored, Alex shared his favourite post-surgery change: “People were afraid to be close to me, but now, everybody wants to be my friend.”

As well as providing direct medical care for patients like Alex, Mercy Ships also partners with African nations to provide training for healthcare professionals.

In the West African nation of Guinea, Mercy Ships partnered with The Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC) to open the nation’s only public dental school in 2018. 

In September 2024, a new state-of-the-art training facility opened, covering 1,500 square metres, more than doubling the school’s previous capacity for dental students to learn,  practice, and treat patients. This enables dental students to reach a higher level of professional excellence, while addressing the critical gap in dental care.

Over the last few years, Mercy Ships has expanded its partnership with UGANC to include sponsoring international students, expanding the scope of training beyond Guinea itself.  

Today students studying at UGANC represent a variety of African nations, such as Benin, Madagascar, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone.