For many, going to the dentist is a visit that is delayed due to fear of needles, pain and the sound of unpleasant instruments. But for others, the indefinite delay has to do with the high costs of the various procedures in private and popular clinics, which sometimes are not so supportive and turn what is an essential part of health into a luxury, without room in the budget. , a right and an ignored need that always takes its toll
Oral health is not high on the agenda for many people. For many, a toothache is an unexpected and almost always postponed reminder to go to the dentist, a need that disappears after taking a couple of antibiotics or painkillers. Nor do public health policies contemplate preventive plans and little or no attention to assist the most vulnerable communities.
When Elizabeth Medina arrived at the El Llanito Dental Specialty Center at 5 in the morning, after three weeks with a toothache that did not allow her to eat or sleep, 34 people were already lining up in front of her in the open. .
“I went to some dentists, but the consultation was $20 or $25 and the extractions were not less than $30. In several CDI (Comprehensive Diagnostic Center) they were not attending because the devices did not work or they did not have specialists, there was no water or electricity, “says Medina and assures that he was “about to grab a pair of pliers to pull out my tooth.”
He says that “all his life” he has suffered from toothaches and has always had to have them removed, that is why he only has four teeth, which he also wants to get rid of to use prostheses and put an end to the ordeal.
“Tooth loss causes other problems. If they are removed from below, the ones on the top go down and can cause a displacement of the teeth that harms the occlusion (superficial alignment of the pieces from above and below) and when they acquire mobility they can end up falling off, “says Jesús Mendoza, a student in the last year of dentistry of the Central University of Venezuela.
In relation to hygiene in children, there is a mistaken belief that “milk teeth do not matter because they are going to change”. For this reason, many parents do not instill oral hygiene habits in children and several teeth end up decayed and removed prematurely.
Dentists agree on the importance of caring for teeth from childhood, because “the first molar that will guide the entire process is born at six years of age.”
“Parents should teach children to have their individual toothbrush and to brush three times a day. They should also avoid giving them sweets since, coupled with poor or non-existent hygiene, cavities proliferate, “says Mendoza.
An annual visit to the dentist is also recommended and adds that there is currently no preventive program in the communities that teaches them to strengthen good oral hygiene habits.
Another important point is to avoid cleaning with products that are not suitable or approved for dental hygiene. “Due to the lack of resources and basic dental education, many people choose to brush their teeth with blue soap, salt and even baking soda, which damages the gums. Many families share a brush for everyone and this goes against any proper and healthy practice of oral hygiene, “says Mendoza.
Cruz Azul promotes smiles
Every 15 days a group of specialists and collaborators that make up the Cruz Azul Foundation of the Santa María University, goes out with their equipment, work tools and desire to promote, improve and renew the smile of children from various communities of Caracas and other vulnerable populations. such as Anare, Choroní, Birongo and Chirimena.
“Our idea is not to go once and for all, but rather we include them in our route and guarantee them at least one visit a year to do a medical-dental day,” says Daniela Torres, institutional director of the foundation.
It stands out that since 2017 they have carried out this work and to date they have treated more than 4,500 people in more than 50 days in dentistry alone and another 2,000 in general medicine.
Torres details that among the dental services they provide free of charge is triage (identification of teeth with cavities), general dentistry (removal of cavities), pediatric dentistry (removal of cavities in children) and surgery.
As for the pathologies, the director assures that they vary depending on the area, the diet and the access to drinking water. But they usually see children with more than three decayed teeth at an early age.
“Moms have a tendency to think that since they are not permanent teeth they will fall out and there is no problem, but the truth is that the teeth that are being born can be in poor condition, in addition to the fact that children do not develop any type of oral hygiene and probably lose teeth at a young age.
He highlights that “all the work is 100% voluntary, we do not charge anything in any town we visit. We live on donations from any person or company. It is a project that goes beyond just bringing medicine and dentistry, the idea is to create awareness in the towns we visit.
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expensive solutions
“Prostheses are not cheap at all. Depending on the type and material, prices range from $50 to $1000. The cheapest is the acrylic that comes out at $50. Removable dentures that are fixed with metal clasps cost at least $100, while porcelain-ceramic fixed prostheses cost more than $200. Finally, an implant that has a screw costs at least $1,000”, details Luis Peña, dedicated to the dental prosthetics trade.
Waleska Martínez, from the Red Cross dentistry service, points out that caries and periodontal diseases (gingivitis, periodontitis) are the most common pathologies among patients.
Regarding the damage caused by the lack of correct hygiene in children, he explains that “by losing the dental structure and having cavities, it causes them discomfort when eating, because it hurts them to chew and this affects the development of their growth, because they do not acquire the nutrients necessary for their development.
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