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 latest Phase 3 Health Inclusivity Index produced by Economist Impact — and supported by global consumer healthcare company Haleon — estimates that R40bn in lifetime tooth decay costs could be saved by improving oral health for all South Africans.
A further R74bn could be saved by targeting interventions based on need.
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.
“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.
From words to action
Globally, World Oral Health Day is 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.
Haleon’s leading oral health brands — Aquafresh, Parodontax, and Sensodyne — have readily embraced this mission in their quest to improve oral health education and access across SA.
At Haleon, we believe in providing ‘Health with Humanity’, and humanity begins by providing for those most vulnerable and in need
— Farhan Haroon, GM at Haleon SA
Aquafresh, for instance, runs an Oral Health Education Programme that has reached over 1,020 schools — and impacted 240,126 learners — since its launch in 2020.
In addition, it brings together oral health education and literacy support through its Confidence Libraries initiative, which has delivered 10 fully kitted, colourful mobile libraries to schools in need since its inception in 2024.
This month, Soweto’s Bonamelo Primary School became the latest beneficiary, receiving a mobile library that offers a vibrant space for over 600 pupils to learn and play.
“We aim to provide safe, conducive environments for learning through the infrastructure while our partners provide educational materials that nurture creativity and love for reading,” says Haroon.
“At Haleon, we believe in providing ‘Health with Humanity’, and humanity begins by providing for those most vulnerable and in need.”
Rebuilding lost ground
Haleon’s initiatives, such as those led by Aquafresh, support national and global calls for the public and private sectors to collaborate on promoting oral health education and literacy among children.
Such interventions are all the more pertinent since Covid-19, which disrupted schooling and left many SA students behind in their education. One study showed that grade 2 learners lost between 57% and 70% of a year of learning compared to their pre-pandemic peers, and that among grade 4s, learning losses were estimated at between 62% and 81% of a year of learning.
“Each sector has been working hard to [regain] lost ground since the pandemic,” says Haroon.
“Good oral health is more than just healthy happy smiles; it really is about nurturing creative minds too. When we work together, we can build back better — with confidence and healthy mouths.”
This article was sponsored by Haleon.
