Our society is constantly striving to improve the quality of life in environment, education and health services. Is the practising dentist in Mauritius working to improve dental health in the community in which he/she practices? Unfortunately, many dental surgeons are earning their living on extractions, fillings and dentures only. They are not involved in preventive programs and explaining the medical aspects of dentistry.

Both public practitioners (overworked by the high demand for dental care) and private ones (working long hours to keep their surgery profitable and battling against the continuous rise of overhead costs) should do more efforts in the field. Where is this situation leading us?

A vast majority with a low standard of dental education does not have the financial means for basic treatments; a very small minority can afford to pay for crowns and bridges or orthodontic treatment.

Access to dental care being difficult, all dental professionals should work together to make the next generation a caries-free one. This task is not impossible if diet-counselling, dental hygiene, a comprehensive fluoride therapy and regular dental check-ups form part of this program and it would surely curb the progression of this epidemic disease.

Patients should be educated about the relation between oral health and general health. Patients suffering from valvular defects, undergoing a renal transplant or radiotherapy against cancer will have serious medical problems if the oral cavity is not healthy. Recent articles have demonstrated the close correlation between periodontitis (illness of the supporting tissues of the teeth) and general pathologies such as diabetes or cardio vascular disease.

The dental surgeon is on the front line against the scourge of tobacco smoking as he can easily motivate a smoker after a scaling and explain all the bad effects of tobacco such as stains on the teeth, halitosis (bad breath) and the possibility of precancerous lesions in the oral mucosa. The practising dentist should be very vigilant in cases like bleeding gums or mobile teeth on young adults, without local causes.

Finally, Aids can take alarming proportions here due to the high number of drugs users. The dental surgeon is in a good position to set standards concerning disinfection and sterilization of the working environment against this blood-borne disease. It is very important to note that the first clinical symptoms of an HIV positive patient may appear in the oral cavity.

The role of the dentist as a medical practitioner is indeed challenging and the whole profession should be prepared to take it. I make an urgent appeal to all those concerned to have a new mindset with a medical approach to patients seeking dental care. Regarding this issue, it does not matter where we stand but in which direction we move to have tangible results, and professional satisfaction. I would end with the saying: “He who obtains has little, and he who shares has much.”

Dr S. BUGUTH R,