Health Minister stresses preventative dental care

As Dominica celebrates Oral Health Week, Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux is stressing preventative dental care saying it is important for all ages.

In an address in observance of the week, he said preventative dental care is important for all ages, especially young people and is the key to long-term oral health.

“It is therefore hoped that persons will become more involved and take responsibility for their oral health care,” he said. “Oral health continues to be a critical aspect of general health conditions around the world and because of its weight the global burden of disease, its associated cost and the potential for effective prevention, it has been given priority globally.”

He said poor oral health which causes pain or discomfort, disrupts the normal functioning of the body resulting in people being unable to function properly.

“Thus work output is reduced or is halted, completely due to an inability to function,” he stated.

Darroux said dental decay and gum disease are common among the children and adult population.

“Worldwide, 60 to 90 percent of school children and nearly 100 percent of adults have dental cavities which can be prevented by maintaining a constant level of fluoride in the cavity,” he stated.

Oral Week is being celebrated under the theme “Educating and Advocating for Optimum Oral Health.”

Listen to the minister’s full speech below.

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14 Comments

  1. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    May 31, 2018

    “The News Article said preventative, “not preventive” then you go on with your dictionary as usual. “(Elizabeth).

    Elizabeth, unless you are into medicine; had just a little more training than I had in Health Science; only then you would be in a possession to dictate what word I should use.

    The appropriate word is “preventive” intended in the context it is supposed to be used!

    I am not even finished; I submitted a third part not even cleared yet, and you are criticizing! You see that is your problem. That is the problem with plenty of us Dominicans, you never sat in a college, or university for one day in your life, you never study medicine, and here I am into a learnt science which you do not know, yet you are making correction contrary to the way it is textbook taught!

    What is wrong with you; are you that smart?

    You cannot goggle anything I wrote on the subject matter thus far!

  2. Faceup
    May 31, 2018

    Do it like the French just fix them people teeth for them with dentures and all..

  3. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    May 31, 2018

    “In an address in observance of the week, he said preventative dental care is important for all ages, especially young people and is the key to long-term oral health. ” (Darroux).

    Review this and form your own sense of reasoning to find out if Darroux makes any actual sense: Again it will take me more than two segments to complete this:

    First of all the definition of the word preventive dentistry, or dental care is simply concerned with maintenance of normal masticating mechanism by fortifying the structures of the oral cavity against damage and disease. Now the question I personally have for this so called doctor is at what age would he conduct this type of fortification?

    Take into consideration the deeper permanent teeth enlarge and develop, the roots of the milk teeth are resorbed  from below, causing them to loosen and fall out between between the ages of six and twelve years of age.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      May 31, 2018

      Continue:

       Generally, all the teeth of the permanent dentition, except the third molars have erupted by the end of adolescence. 

      The third molars also called the wisdom teeth, emerge later  between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five years old. There are usually thirty-two (32) permanent teeth in a full set; nevertheless there are times when the wisdom teeth fail to erupt or are completely absent. When a tooth remains embedded in the jawbone, it  is said to be impacted. (Well, as far as I can determine no amount of dental prevention care could have prevented that). Now impacted teeth can cause a good amount of pain and pressure, and the tooth must be surgically removed.

      Teeth are classified according to their shape, and function, as incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. With that disclosure let’s turn our attention to the  structure of the tooth! Each tooth has two major regions; the crown, and the root. The enamel covered crown is the exposed part of the tooth above…

      • May 31, 2018

        The News Article said preventative, “not preventive” then you go on with your dictionary as usual. It is true that both terms are similar in definition, so what is the big deal about the Health Minister saying that the move to prevent tooth decay is important for all regardless of the age.

        I know the feeling of a toothache, and if I knew the way to prevent this kind of pain from the time I was a child, why would I ignore it?

        You are here again, trying to tell people how smart you think you are, so why don’t you just do that, without trying to ridicule the Health Minister–you make yourself the fool everytime you do that.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      May 31, 2018

      Con:

      Each tooth has two major regions; the crown, and the root. The enamel covered crown is the exposed part of the tooth above the gingiva or gum, which surrounds the tooth like a tight collar.

      Enamel, an acellular, brittle material that directly bears the force of chewing, is the hardest substance in the body.

      It is heavily mineralized with calcium salts, and its densely packed hydroxyapatite; mineral crystals are oriented in columns perpendicular to the tooth’s surface.  The cells that produce the enamel degenerate when the tooth erupts, leaving none for repair purposes. Hence, any breaches of the enamel caused by decay, or cracks will not heal, and must be filled artificially.

      The portion of the tooth embedded in the jawbone is not root. Canine teeth, incisors, and premolars have one root, although the first upper premolars commonly have two. Regarding molars, the first two upper molars have three roots, whereas the corresponding lower molars have two, while the root…

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      May 31, 2018

      Cont:

      It is heavily mineralized with calcium salts, and its densely packed hydroxyapatite; mineral crystals are oriented in columns perpendicular to the tooth’s surface. The cells that produce the enamel degenerate when the tooth erupts, leaving none for repair purposes. Hence, any breaches of the enamel caused by decay, or cracks will not heal, and must be filled artificially.

      The portion of the tooth embedded in the jawbone is not root. Canine teeth, incisors, and premolars have one root, although the first upper premolars commonly have two. Regarding molars, the first two upper molars have three roots, whereas the corresponding lower molars have two, while the root pattern of the third molar varies, nevertheless a fused single root is common.

      The crown and root are connected by a constricted tooth region called the neck; the outer surface of the root is covered by a calcified connective tissue called cementum, which attaches the tooth to the thin periodontal around the…

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      June 1, 2018

      One interruption by that woman in Canada cause me to cut it short; so in conclusion:

      Brushing the teeth alone cannot prevent serious dental care issues, because if one simply brush, and do not have cleaning; and especially deep cleaning below the gum-line periodically (every six months), ultimately there are going to be dental issues, and that is one of the reasons we find so many people with no teeth in their mouth in Dominica!

      Dental caries “rottenness,” or cavities, results from a gradual demineralization of enamel and underlying dentin by bacterial action. The decay process begins when dental plaque which is a film of sugar, bacteria, and other mouth debris adheres to the teeth. Metabolism of the trapped sugars by the bacteria produces acids; particularly lactic acid which dissolve the calcium salts of the teeth.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      June 1, 2018

      This Is The Conclusion:

      Once the salts are leached out, the remaining organic matrix of the tooth is readily digested by protein-digesting enzymes released by the bacteria. Such can be partially avoided by indulging into frequently brushing, and flossing the teeth daily will help prevent damage to the teeth by removing forming plaque.

      In conclusion, there are other diseases such as diabetes, and lupus, which causes issues with the gum and breath; it is essential that when anything unusual is noticed, the individual should not hesitate to visit with a dentists: Good dental hygiene cannot resolve some issues!

      Thanks Admin for tolerating me with this one it is long, but I am sure educational!

  4. Needed
    May 30, 2018

    No Dental Insurance = Bad teeth .
    Please provide Dental Coverage for your people.
    They need it . Too many people have poor oral health.
    Never seen a country with so much ugly looking smiles . Like a bomb exploded in their mouths .

  5. Poor Oral Hygiene
    May 30, 2018

    I really wish this message would be taken seriously.
    It is a shame that people are still neglecting their teeth. I have seen a number of persons walking around with bad teeth , missing teeth. Crocked teeth , and they seem to feel proud of it , even those you believe should know better. It is recommended to visit your dentist 2 times per year at the least .
    I suggest give people Dental Insurance so that they can get the care they need, the condition of your teeth reflects the condition of your country , and Boy is it a poor state of affairs from what I can see.
    I also think that the services should be more comprehensive. Less Extraction and more implants .
    but then again ,it’s a sad , no insurance.
    Mr. Minister please give your people dental coverage . it s a most .
    And for those reading ,
    When last you got your teeth checked ? Do you only go when you have pain?
    Did you know that Tooth decay is contagious , How is your partners Teeth?
    Are you sharing bacteria ?

  6. Dimples
    May 30, 2018

    There are a lot of Dominicans who have the nastiest teeth in the Caribbean. I’m sure a lot of them won’t even observe the week!

  7. visitor
    May 30, 2018

    Most of the women there look so good but most of the men don’t have teeth. They really need the dentist asap.

  8. May 30, 2018

    Don’t eat cane!

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