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Of all the pains known, that of toothache is undoubtedly one of the most distressing, whether it be of the sharp eye-watering variety generated by a nerve spasm, the continuous nagging of a chronic condition, or the searing agony of a tooth abscess.
In the developed world the solution is quick and simple, if unpleasant, and often expensive. A trip to the dentist, the pain is gone and all is solved.
But in developing countries dental care has a low priority, leading to untold suffering, especially in children. Primitive methods of treatment are employed in areas where dentists are rare or unknown, with extractions carried out using such implements as bicycle spokes, leading to torture and, in many cases, death from infection and mutilation.
In 2001 District 105D established an imaginative partnership with Dentaid, whose aim is the alleviation of pain and suffering.
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The need:
- Children are dying of mutilation (with bicycle spokes used to remove milk teeth in some places)
- In over 40 developing countries, the majority have NO access to basic healthcare
- Often there is just one dentist to every 250000 or even 500000 of population
- Up to 90% of 12 year olds in these countries have untreated caries causing persistent severe pain. Up to 33% need extractions
- Where they seek rudimentary local help, it is without anasthetic and no sterilisation, with consequent infection and/or death
- Dental care is low on the WHO priorities, because clean water can be seen as more important (Dentaid are in discussion with WHO and nurturing a growing interest in oral health)
- Imported basic new equipment is far too expensive
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How Dentaid meet the need:
- Collects equipment being discarded by UK dentists - every collection transported by Lions means cash can be used to process more equipment
- Refurbishes equipment with volunteer and paid help
- Assesses, in detail, requests from around the world to ensure equipment will be used properly in a sustained way - our colleagues abroard can help in this area
- Sometimes sends volunteer engineers to install equipment and to verify training of recipient dentists and health workers - our colleagues abroad can help in this process also
- Works with parter organisations in beneficiary countries - Lions Clubs International is ideally placed to ensure that the benefits of these installations are maximised and sustained
- Seeks monetary and volunteer donations from UK Dental industries and others - Lions may have contacts that can help
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