PDA warns vs illegal dental clinics

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Dental Association-Cebu Chapter warns the public against seeking dental care from illegal and unaccredited dental clinics.

 Dr. Junhel Dalanon, PDA president-elect, said bogus clinics are rampant in downtown Cebu City. However, Dalanon refused to name the illegal clinics and did not cite how many of them are operating illegally.

 “Without mentioning names, pero daghan na sa Colon,” he said.

 Dalanon said this is something to be worried about because dental health should not be handled by non-doctors, who are allegedly using unsterilized nail cutters for braces and retainers.

 Aside from that, he said it is also threatening that teeth braces and aligners are sold online.

“Kani makadaot, hugaw ug makamatay. Kun adto sa lisensyadong dentista, kasaligan ug dekalidad ang trabaho,” he said.

 Dr. Sophia Mancao, acting regional director of the Department of Health-7, admitted that they are having a hard time monitoring the reported illegal clinics.

  She urged instead dentists who are running clinics to secure a permit or license from the DOH head office. She said they can still apply at DOH-7 and the latter will endorse the application to the head office.

 “We really had a hard time pag-monitor. Those who have no permits yet are encouraged to apply. You know what’s illegal and not. It is your responsibilities,” she said.

 In celebration of the 12th National Dental Health Month, the Philippine Dental Association-Cebu Chapter and DOH-7 are advocating and encouraging people to observe proper oral hygiene to prevent diseases that can be developed from bad teeth as they stressed on the importance of taking care of the teeth.

 PDA disclosed that based on an earlier survey in line with their information dissemination on the need to take proper care of the teeth, 92 percent out of 100 percent of people have dental caries or tooth decay and 78 percent have periodontal disease.

 Through the year-round information dissemination program, PDA hopes to encourage people to give importance to their teeth, which is tagged as the most neglected part of the body even if they are very essential to people’s lives.

 The organization emphasized that brushing the teeth at least twice a day, especially before going to sleep, helps in the prevention of oral diseases, which can cause serious diseases in the kidneys, lungs and the heart.

Mancao said that without teeth, there would be no proper chewing and without proper chewing, there would be no proper nutrition which could put life at risk.

 Mancao said to achieve having healthy teeth, a person needs to eat healthy and nutritious food, as well.

 Having dental examinations with your dentist every six months also prevents infections.

Free dental check-ups

 In line with the 12th National Dental Health Month, clinics will be giving free dental check-ups to all clients within the month. The organization will also conduct dental missions in some schools and far-flung barangays.

 Further, Dr. Giselle Lahay-Lahay, president of Cebu Dental Chapter, reminded anew that smoking is one of the contributing factors of damaged teeth, gums and mouth.

 One of the effects of smoking, she said, is staining on the teeth due to the nicotine and tar in the tobacco. It can make your teeth yellow in a very short time.

 She added that smoking can lead to tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss, and in more severe cases mouth/oral cancer.

 People who smoke are more likely to produce bacterial plaque, which leads to gum disease.

The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums don’t heal. Smoking causes people to have more dental plaque and causes gum disease to worsen quickly than in non-smokers.

 Gum disease is still the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.  (FREEMAN)