Examples of the twigs that elderly people in Nairobi use to clean their teeth.

The last of Grace’s teeth fell out in May 2008.

“The loss was gradual,” Peter Ndungo, project coordinator for Nairobi, Kenya, said. “She could lose one tooth at a time, sometimes two.”

Grace is a 67-year-old sponsored aging member in Nairobi. Although she had two teeth pulled when she was young, her teeth really began to fall out in her 50s.

Grace didn’t know about dental hygiene and only visited a dentist when in pain and needed a tooth to be pulled, Ndungo said.

Eventually, Grace lost all her teeth. With the support provided by sponsorship, the Nairobi project bought Grace a new set of dentures. Read Grace's story.

Ndungo said that like Grace, most elderly in Nairobi do not have the information or resources needed to practice good oral hygiene.

“Dental hygiene among the aging is very poor,” Ndungo said. “Visits to the dentist are almost non-existent. A majority of the aging are still stuck in the traditional way of cleaning their teeth, where they use twigs and sticks from trees that are chewed on one edge to make a scrubbing surface.”

Poor dental hygiene can cause serious health problems. According to the World Health Organization, the connection between oral health and general health is particularly strong for older people.

Besides the fact that few older persons know how to care for their teeth, visiting a dentist in Kenya is not easy. Dentists are expensive relative to the income of the elderly, with a typical visit costing about $13, depending on the problem and the specialist. Dental clinics are scarce and most dental equipment, if available, doesn’t function adequately, Ndungo said.

Sponsored children and aging persons in CFCA’s Nairobi project have the benefit of learning about dental hygiene. The project distributes toothpaste and toothbrushes to members each month upon request. They can also choose to use a portion of their health benefit for dental care.

Contact: Christian Foundation for Children and Aging