WE ENJOYED Dr. Tatenda Simango’s column in The Chronicle, a popular daily newspaper in Zimbabwe, that we are sharing many of his interesting and educational insights.
Writing about ‘’Dental care amid COVID-19 pandemic”, the medical doctor relates how so many revelations about the risks in oral health care these days dawned on him.
“I was fortunate to book a dental appointment this past week, it is embarrassing to say, but this was my first time in the dental chair for a regular check-up and cleaning. My reason for absconding was ignorant; I practice regular oral hygiene and had not been bothered by a toothache before.
“I got quite a shock when the assessment showed that my molar teeth on the lower and upper jaw needed fillings and a set of them had to be removed at some time because they were impacted. What I thought would have been a one-hour procedure ended up needing three dental appointments to manage. A pat on the back was my expectation only to be advised that caries had done a bit of damage to the teeth.
The procedure went on well, as I was not in any pain or discomfort. There would be no need for anesthesia (numbing medication). The dental fillings were done without any trouble. Afterwards I was encouraged to visit again after six months, which I will be sure to do.
“It should be second nature to visit the dentist every six months just for a check-up.”
While discussing oral health care with his dentist, Dr. Simango realized that good oral health care “prevents bad breath, helps avoid teeth loss, increases self-esteem (they clean and can also whiten teeth), helps improve your sleep, there is early detection of potential and actual problems (like my impacted teeth).”
It helps prevent and treat gum disease; lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, chronic headaches and pancreatic disease; promotes the early detection of mouth cancer; and maintains a healthy smile.
It seems that in Zimbabwe, as in the Philippines, there are what Dr. Simango calls an “alarming increase” of COVID infection among hospital staff. Zvishavane District Hospital was closed because a large number of health workers had been infected.
Over 1,000 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in a week, traced to local transmissions and returning residents. This is familiar too in our country, where Locally Stranded Individuals or LSIs are blamed for spiking infection cases.
Some companies have had to halt operations due to members of their staff contracting COVID-19, Dr. Simango writes. We have seen this in recent weeks in our country as government offices and even the Metro Rail Transit or MRT have to be closed for disinfection as employees were infected.
“The ignorant ones still do not believe we have a true pandemic till such a time when someone they know personally has been confirmed unwell. The lockdown has been extended with a curfew for good measure,” Dr. Simango continues. Sounds familiar.
“There has been need to reduce the number of admission wards to four: male medical, surgical and female medical and surgical,” he continues. Here in Manila, many major hospitals have closed their emergency room admissions and ICU units as they approached or even reached full capacity.
Dr. Simango believes, as we should, that “every individual should take it upon themselves to be responsible for their own health and that of the next fellow citizen by practicing: Wearing of a mask in public; Cough etiquette; Good hand hygiene; Social and physical distancing; and Staying at home when unwell.” Hear, hear.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
