Establishing a dental care program

Ebony, June, 1996

Teeth are meant to last a lifetime, and with proper care, they will, says Dr. Stephen Towns, prominent Chicago periodontist and president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Dental Association (NDA). But there's the rub, he says. Far too many African-Americans fail to recognize the importance of teeth and, consequently, neglect them until it is too late. As a result, their visits to the dentist are either nonexistent or sporadic at best, motivated usually by a toothache that's gotten out of hand.

This abysmal neglect of teeth and oral care, he says, has produced alarming results. "African-Americans suffer greater early tooth loss, more tooth decay and more periodontal disease than Americans in general," says Dr. Towns. "I know if me can just get parents and kids in the habit of three to four visits to the dentist every year, we can rewrite those statistics forever. We can save money--and pain!"

Before the widespread tendency to neglect teeth can be reversed, Dr. Towns says, people must learn to realize the value of teeth. "People think nothing of spending $20,000 on a car," he says, "but if asked to spend some money to save their teeth, they keep insisting that they can't afford it." He feels that if people would realize how important teeth really are, they would understand that they can't afford not to spend money to save or protect their teeth. In his opinion, healthy teeth and oral health are the key to human well-being. To make his point, he refers to the animal kingdom. "The first animals to die are usually the ones who have lost their teeth," he says. While conceding that his observation is "strictly speculation" and does not necessarily hold true for people, he does see a strong correlation between overall fitness and dental health, especially in older people.

Lecturing on the importance of regular dental care with religious fervor, Dr. Towns says, "Think about it. Teeth get the food first. They are the start of the whole digestive process. They are the early warning system for our whole physical well-being. If we [dentists] see you regularly, we can spot early signs of problems and correct them. We can even prevent them. People should love to see us. We're the good guys!"

The NDA, which represents 6,000 African-American dentists, urges each and every African-American, regardless of age or gender, to start a program of regular routine dental care. To be effective, according to dental experts, such a program should involve the following:

* Regular brushing of teeth with a fluoride toothpaste or gel at least twice a day, and, whenever possible, after each meal. The purpose is to remove remnants of food and prevent the buildup of plaque, a colorless, sticky film that forms on the surface of the teeth, and whose bacteria produce acids that attack the protective enamel of the teeth, resulting in cavities. To prevent buildup of plaque in areas that brushing can't reach, regular flossing between the teeth and beneath the gumline is an important part of daily teeth maintenance.

* Rinsing with a fluoride mouth wash, in addition to brushing and flossing, is recommended as an effective deterrent to tooth decay. The same is true for an antimicrobial mouth rinse that helps control plaque and thus helps reduce gingivitis, a serious gum disease.

* Regular daily brushing and scraping of the tongue.

* Semiannual dental examinations for early signs of tooth decay and gum disease, and, if necessary, treatment by a qualified. dentist. Such examinations may include the taking of X-rays to determine whether there is tooth decay that cannot be detected through visual examination.

* Semiannual cleaning of teeth, which involves the removal of hardened plaque (tartar) and stains by a qualified oral hygienist. Failure to remove tartar that has formed near the gumline can cause the gums to become irritated and inflamed.

Periodic examinations are essential, dentists say, not only to detect cavities, but also to assure the health of the entire mouth. A mouth that has been allowed to go unchecked over an extended period can be the source of a host of health problems caused by infections that originate in the mouth and eventually enter the bloodstream.

Dr. Towns says the 83-year-old NDA is making headway in its effort to improve the dental care of African-Americans, but he concedes that it still has a long way to go. Already begun is a new nationwide Networking Action Plan designed to bring about personal contact with all 6,000 African-American dentists through the NDA's six regions and 48 component chapters.

Another NDA initiative, Dr. Towns points out, concerns the development and training of the next generation of dental caregivers. Working with Howard University Dental School and Meharry Medical College, long the only training grounds for Black dentists, the NDA recruits students and faculty and provides forums--the Speakers Bureaus, Convention Scientific Programs and the NDA Journal--for faculty to publish its findings. The NDA network provides students with in-office internships and assists recent graduates in all aspects of establishing a practice.