Haleon tackles oral health and literacy ― twin challenges for SA children

What does childhood literacy have in common with oral hygiene? In SA, the answer is simple: everything. More than 80%of South African grade 4 learners struggle to read for meaning at the age of 10.

At the same time, 60% of six-year-olds have tooth decay, and 55% present with untreated decay, making oral diseases a major public health concern — and one that begins at a young age. While they may not be fatal, studies have shown that oral health issues such as tooth decay may lead to negative cognitive development impacts, and generally a poor quality of life. The latestPhase 3 Health Inclusivity Indexproduced by Economist Impact — and supported by global consumer healthcare companyHaleon— estimates that R40bn in lifetime tooth decay costs could be saved by improving oral health for all South Africans.

The urgency to address the oral health and childhood literacy challenges of SA’s children is clear — and Haleon believes the solution lies in treating both issues as interconnected. Farhan Haroon, GM at Haleon SA, explains that children begin building confidence from a young age. “What is often overlooked, however, is how that confidence is shaped through speaking clearly and having a clean, healthy mouth,“ he says.

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“Reading for meaning requires both oral and decoding skills — necessitating that a child know how to listen and speak, while making sense of symbols and text.” In this way, good oral health — which supports confident communication and prevents discomfort that may affect classroom concentration or lead to absenteeism — can directly help to support literacy. Globally,World Oral Health Dayis commemorated each March to empower people with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to achieve good oral health. This year, it was celebrated under the theme“A Happy Mouth Is A Happy Life”, a campaign spearheaded by the FDI World Dental Federation and designed to encourage positive change by educating people on the vital role a happy, healthy mouth plays in our lives.

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