By: Problyn J. Alpha
Staff and students of the University at Buffalo School of dental medicine from the United States of America have paid a working visit to the Adama Martha Memorial Community Health Centre in Koidu City Kono District.
The head of the visiting team Joseph Gambacorta, DDS Associate Dean for Academic and faculty Affairs University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine maintained that their visit was to promote dentistry in Kono District under the auspices of the Adama Martha Memorial Community Health Centre, nothing since they arrived they have organised a training session for staff of the aforementioned community health centre to promote dentistry in the District.
He said after the training session the visiting team members extracted the teeth of toothache patients especially those who were in pain including the filling and cleaning of the teeth of toothache patients in Koidu City and other towns and villages in Kono District for what he referred to as a cost recovery cost of seventy Leones.
Joseph Gambacorta noted that toothache is caused by so many factors, especially by a cavity that is opening in the tooth or teeth due to the lack of cleaning of the teeth regularly.
According to him the pain or infection starts when particles of food eaten get stuck in the said opening thus breaking down the teeth. Whilst explaining the preventive and curative measures of a toothache the visiting team head of the university at Buffalo School of dental medicine from the United States of America pointed out that the cleaning or brushing of the mouth or teeth at least two times daily especially before going to bed is of great importance guarding against toothache.
He condemned the consumption of sugary and the use of hard toothbrushes when cleaning the teeth which is a common practice among Sierra Leoneans. Soft brush and ash stick are ideal for the brushing or cleaning of the mouth, Gambacorta admonished. When a patient is suffering from toothache clove oil and a tea bag in hot water are advised to subside the pain, he maintained.
Meanwhile whilst distributing toothbrushes and pastes to toothache patients treated they strictly condemned the use of one toothbrush by many people.
