Canadian Program

Oral Health Ontario

Dental health affects the functional, psychological and social dimensions of a child’s well-being. Oral pain has devastating effects on children, including lost sleep, poor growth, behavioral problems and poor learning. Developmentally crucial processes of communication, social skills and self-esteem are also affected by poor dental health. Dental problems are associated with a substantial reduction in school attendance and in parental working days. There have also been recent studies linking oral disease to other health problems, such as low birth weight, preterm delivery and iron deficiency.

 Since 2018, African Aid International’s Canadian program has distributed tens of thousands of oral hygiene supplies to struggling Ontarians and their families. Each month, working through organizations like the Salvation Army, Yellow Brick House, Yonge Street Mission and others, we make the oral health of women and children a priority. These beneficiaries of our Oral Health Ontario initiative are either homeless or living in shelters and other temporary facilities. Those struggling for daily survival are often forced by circumstance to prioritize some basic health needs over others, so we stepped in to fill the gap. Please help support our work on behalf of the homeless and needy – even a little bit goes a long way!