The FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) has supported the need for good oral health on the World Health Organisation's (WHO) World Health Day, which focused on improving the health of mothers and children.

The theme for WHO's annual event, which took place in April, was to “Make Every Mother and Child Count”.

In response to the global campaign, the FDI said women and children were among the most vulnerable populations in the world and often have higher levels of ill health and limited access to care.

“Good oral health is a basic human right and inseparable from general health and wellbeing. Only by taking a holistic approach to health promotion, by addressing risk factors that are shared by systemic and oral diseases, can we succeed in achieving improved levels of oral health for mothers and children”, said FDI Executive Director Dr JT Barnard.

The Federation said that greater prominence needed to be given to equal provision of basic human rights, which included the right to good general and oral health.

The Federation said it supported action to improve the health of mothers through asserting their basic human rights, including access to health care, education, employment opportunities and safe and healthy environments.

All health professionals, such as physicians, dentists, nurses or midwifes, must be aware of the serious impact of oral diseases on the health, nutrition and wellbeing of mothers and children, it said.

The promotion of oral health should be part of all health education programmes and appropriate oral health care services for children and their mothers should be available, said the Federation.