Together with cheeks, tongue and palate, the

teeth form the first and important part of the

digestive system.

They help to breakdown food substances into

small particles which are easily swallowed and

then acted upon by digestive enzymes to the

form which can be absorbed by the body for

energy, growth and repair.

Loss of teeth through extractions can

seriously affect our general health.

Further more; teeth help us in speech

(articulation) and facial appearance.

Imagine a person missing the anterior

teeth required to address a public! If you

have not experienced it, do not play for

it.

Important to note, artificial teeth cost

more than treating the natural teeth, at

the same time they can not exactly

replace the missing natural teeth.

However, always something is better

than nothing, if your have lost your

teeth, artificial teeth is the remaining best

option for you.

Interestingly, almost all disease

conditions affecting the teeth are

preventable and curable, but yet still

dental problems remain one of the most

common diseases affecting mankind.

The physical and economical impact on

the individual as well as the nation can

not be over emphasized.

However, this area of health has not

received the attention it deserves both

from individuals and organizations.

The result is that the age old trend

whereby the public visit the dentist when

they are in pain or apparent dental

problems and ending up in extractions

continues unabated.

All studies so far indicate that, dental caries (tooth

decay) and periodontal (gum) diseases are the most

prevalent conditions affecting the teeth and thus the

leading cause of teeth loss.

Dental caries slowly destroys the teeth through acid

produced from surgery food we eat, if untreated, the

disease progresses to the extent where the only

remaining option is tooth removal (extraction).

On the other hand, periodontal conditions slowly

destroys the gums, bones and other tissues supporting

the teeth, if left untreated, the affected teeth become

loose and later fall on their own or are extracted.

As said in the introduction, these diseases are

preventable and curable. And prevention is not

even associated with injections or tablets as

vaccines, but rather a mere change of habit.

just improving oral hygiene habits and visiting

a dentist regularly are enough to prevent these

diseases and associated teeth loss.

Moreover, even if the diseases have occurred

in early stages and some cases of advanced

stages, the diseases are curable.

Who would like to look like

the above?

Surprisingly

enough, despite

these facts, the

rate of teeth loss

through extraction

is alarming. One

has to wonder

why?

A tooth is the only part of the body which

when pain, the patient will just request for its

removal (extraction).

I have never seen a patient requesting removal

of the eye or any other part of the body simply

because it pains.

No matter how other parts of the body are

destroyed, the patients will always ask for the

treatment to maintain them, but for the

tooth, even if it can be conserved, just remove!

Sadly to say, even most medical

insurance agents do not cover for scaling

and root planning, the procedure which

prevent both tooth decay and gum

diseases from occurring.

It is the same scaling and root planning

which is the first line of treatment almost

for all forms of gum diseases.

The treatment of choice

to these disease is scaling

and polishing

The same applies to this

disease

Their lay argument is that, removing tarter

(calculus) is an esthetic procedure

(beauty), a misleading and deadly concept.

Worse, some other insurers do not even

cover root canal treatment, the treatment

which cures advanced form of tooth decay.

Worst, even the majority of insurance

companies, give less financial allocations to

dental services

Another lay argument is that, the sure way of treating the painful tooth is its removal (extraction)! Why not the sure way of treating the incurable heart diseases is the removal of the heart? Unjust indeed to the tooth, stop it.

As a treatment, tooth extraction is supposed to be done only when other methods of saving it are impossible or when such tooth can become a reason for other and more serious complications.

While these are being done, more

government hospitals and clinics apart

from lacking well qualified personnel

they also lack equipments, instruments

and material for dental treatment

Brushing and flossing twice a day when

coupled with visiting a dentist at least

twice a year is enough to save your teeth.

Is this costly? Every body has the

answer.

While consultation fee is enough to have

your teeth checked routinely by

dentist, tooth brush is among the

cheapest commodity in the market.

Early uncavitated decay can be treated by just medication, while simple fillings can save teeth with small to medium size cavities (holes).

Good news is that even majority of teeth with big and deep cavities can also be served by doing root canal treatment.

Always ask your dentist if he/she can do a root canal treatment on your badly decayed teeth instead of removal.

Initial decay (white spot)just

improve brushing Can be filled

This tooth no matter how

bad it has been destroyed

by decay it be saved by

doing a root canal

treatment

Even those can be treated

and a crown put on them

Health teeth = proper teeth brushing and regular dental visits (consultation fee + cost of toothbrush and paste),

Diseased teeth cured and retained = filling or root canal treatment or scaling and root planning (consultation fee + treatment charges),

Diseased teeth extracted = extraction and or artificial teeth (consultation fee+ extraction charges + cost of artificial teeth + cost of soft diet + teeth loss related problems).

Thank you for listening