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Learn more about dental health in Africa; and how YOU can make a difference. Make sure you leave your comments, or if you're interested in making a change contact us via the link below!

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THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW COULD HARM YOUR TEETH (3). 

3/4/2013

1 Comment

 
POPCORN KERNELS: Now this is not entirely unbelievable; after all, "You have a combination of something ultra hard and something ultra hard", says American Dental Association spokesman Richard Price, DMD. Something's bound to give and it's most likely your teeth. Popcorn kernels can chip teeth and this wouldn't be the worst thing imaginable except, unfortunately for us, our teeth can't regrow like our skin can. Price likened biting popcorn kernels to trying to bite stone, doesn't that just sound like it hurts. 
Picture
Get the picture? Imagine biting into something this hard. The next time you're tempted to bite a popcorn kernel, put this image in your head. 



Photo Credit: Google Images
                  BY: Thamizhpparithi Maari 




Well, that's all folks! As always stay tuned for more info. 



Source: Karen Springen " 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR TEETH",
           http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-         
           your teeth
1 Comment

Things You Didn't Know Could Harm Your Teeth. (2)

1/27/2013

3 Comments

 

2. BRUSHING: Some of you are probably like, brushing! This chick obviously has Nigerian parents who believe that using a chewing stick is better than brushing. You wouldn't be completely wrong however; because my father is one man who believes in the power of the chewing stick. At this point, you're probably about to shut your laptop because you believe that I'm probably not a reliable source for information on dental hygiene. I assure you, everything I'm saying will make sense soon enough. 

Picture
What the picture says, I want you to brush your teeth, just not too much. Teeth are tough- their enamel is the hardest part of the body;but even with all their strength there are just some things teeth can't handle. The ideal is to brush your teeth three times a day after each meal; but doing it too soon after you eat can erode the enamel on your teeth. This is because the tooth enamel becomes softer in the acidic environment formed in your mouth when you eat. 

Photo credit: Google Images
                    "newdaddyhood.wordpress.com"




Picture
Not to scare you or anything, but this is what your teeth will look like if you brush too hard or too much. 
I hope that by now I've proved to you that I know what I'm talking about so that you'll take my advice seriously. 

Photo credit: Google Images 
                     "www.onlinedentist.org"

As always, stay tuned for more info. 


Source: Pamela Babcock "15 Ways To Wreck Your Teeth", www.webmd.com/oral-health/feature/how-to-wreck-your-teeth.



3 Comments

Brief History of Dentistry

1/19/2013

3 Comments

 
Picture
Woman selling Chewing Sticks. Photo by AfrostyleMag
    
By Vivian B. Isaboke


Africa has always been the birth place of many things. It is the birthplace of man, philosophy, religion, mathematics and so much more. So it’s no surprise that the roots of dentistry can be traced back to Egypt to a man named Hesi-Re who lived around 3000 B.C. Inside his burial chamber, inscriptions say, “the greatest of those who deal with teeth [chief toother], and of the physicians.” Not only that, but the 1st tooth brush can be traced back to this time period also. The miswack (also known as “chewing stick”) is considered by many, to be the first toothbrush. 

 As time passed and knowledge grew, dentistry began to emerge on a greater level not only in Egypt but also in Rome, China, India, Pakistan and Japan.  In the middle Ages the only educated people were the clergy. Monks acted as doctors, surgeons and dentists. However in the early 12th century the Church forbade clergy to do operations of any kind. In their place a new type of craftsman called a barber-surgeon emerged. As well as cutting hair and doing surgery they also pulled teeth!

During the “17th century French physician Pierre Fauchard started dentistry science as it is known today, and he has been named "the father of modern dentistry". Among many of his developments were the extensive use of dental prosthesis, the introduction of dental fillings as a treatment for dental caries and the statement that sugar derivative acids such as tartaric acid are responsible for dental decay.” [Glenner]

Moving unto the 18th century dentistry took a more scientific approach.  In 1728 a French dentist called Pierre Fauchard published a book called The Surgeon Dentist. In 1771 an Englishman called John Hunter published a book called The Natural History of the Human Teeth.

“Dentistry took huge leaps in the late 18th century and the 19th century. Porcelain false teeth were invented in 1770. In 1790 Josiah Flagg invented the dentist’s chair. In 1832 James Snell invented a reclining chair. In 1877 Basil Manly Wilkerson invented a hydraulic chair. Furthermore for centuries rich patients had gold fillings but amalgam was first used in Europe around 1820.Then in 1846 Henry Morton demonstrated the use of ether as an anesthetic in dentistry. In 1864 George Fellows invented a clockwork dental drill. In 1875 Dr Green invented an electric dental drill. The air turbine dental drill (using compressed air) was introduced in 1957.” [Lambert]

By the 19th century dentistry had grown a great deal in both Europe and The United States. The first dental college, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, opened in Baltimore, Maryland, USA in 1840. In 1901, the 1st dental degree in Europe was award by Birmingham University in Britain.  

Picture
The University of Western Cape, photo by interstudy of flickr.com
 Today, the practice of dentistry can be found all over the world. In Africa however, dentistry is still growing. Many countries don’t have dental schools let alone dentists, and most people still use chewing sticks in place of toothbrushes. Luckily, Africa is ever changing and forever growing, Africans and non-Africans both in the continent and outside the continent are working everyday to educate people on the importance of oral hygiene. The University of Western Cape is the largest dental school in Africa and in association with the WHO (World Health Organization) they are playing a dominant role for the advancement of Oral Health in Africa. Hopefully, in the upcoming years we will see more dental schools opening up and dentists working in places that need their craft the most.

 
Sources: [Gleener][Lambert]' -http://www.fauchard.org/history/index_articles.html


3 Comments

Things You Didn't Know Could Harm Your Teeth. (1)

1/8/2013

1 Comment

 

A few days ago I came across some unbelievable information and I thought I should share. Beware! Some of the information might seem incredulous but trust me I did my research. 
        There are a number of things that could potentially damage your teeth, but for the sake of space, over the course of time, I'll  be stating  only three I think most people are unfamiliar with. 
1. Bread- I know right; of all things that could be bad for your teeth, it had to be a food item that you eat almost every day. Processed white bread is especially rich in starch and carbohydrates which usually contain a lot of sugar and these sugars tend to attract bacteria in the mouth. You might be saying, "but bacteria is everywhere on the body, some bacteria is even good for the body". Sorry to burst your bubble, but not this kind, Honey. Sugar- containing foods can be acidic and this acid erodes the enamel on your teeth. When this happens, the bacteria called (Streptococcus mutans) starts to penetrate the holes the acid created in your enamel. Once the bacteria enters the holes, cavities can start forming in your teeth and if these cavities are not taken care of immediately, they can lead to tooth decay. 



Picture
They even named the bread "Davido" (a famous nigerian artist). So that they could get people to buy more of their bread. Don't be deceived, too much of this stuff is not good for your teeth. If you must eat bread, make sure you brush your teeth at night. 



Photo Credit: Google Images, "ladunliadi.blogspot.com".


     In Nigeria, as well as other African countries I am aware of such as Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia, bread is a staple food commodity. "Bread and Tea", "Bread and Coke", "Bread and stew", these are all meals that are readily available to families who cannot afford expensive food items. Since a portion of the population in these countries live mostly on bread; they are the ones who are most likely to have tooth decay. They are also the ones who will not have the funds to send their kids to dentists, or buy adequate toothbrushes and toothpaste for their kids to use, in order to prevent this this tooth decay.  It is this half of the population that Project Dental Africa wants to help, these are the people PDA wants to give the chance to have sparkling, white teeth. 

Stay tuned for more information on things that can cause damage to your teeth. 

Sources:
Rachel Nall, "The Role of Sugar in Tooth and Gum Disease". 
http://www.livestrong.com/article/469134-the-role-of-sugar-in-tooth-gum-disease/
"Things You Didn't Know Could Damage Your Teeth" , http://www.squidoo.com/things-damaging-to-teet

1 Comment

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