People should visit their dentist for a checkup at least every year – before there is a problem.

Have you been to the dentists for the regular oral check-up or to treat your pain? The answer for many is no. Most people are not aware of the importance of oral health and only visit the dentist when they experience problems.

But the trend is gradually changing in Myanmar with the opening of more dental clinics greater awareness of oral health, says Dr Min Yaung from the Mr Dentist dental clinic.

“When people have a higher standard of living, they generally take better care of their health – this includes oral health and hygiene. And they are also careful to choose a clinic that they think is safe from infectious diseases,” said Dr Min Yaung.

He said the increasing number of dental clinics in Yangon was having a positive impact on the industry as they are promoting the use of more advanced instruments and a general increase in standards.

Digital dental x-rays, intraoral cameras, laser tooth whitening and world class sterilisation systems for instruments used in the treatments are now standard practice at some of Yangon’s dental clinics.

“There are more clinics using world class accessories and instruments. We can say that the dental clinics in Yangon are now at an international standard,” he said, adding that dentists were now in high demand.

“As more people are realising the importance of the dental health and, in response to that, more clinics are being opened, the demand for dentists is higher than usual,” Dr Min Yaung said.

Dr Moe Thida Htwe from the Dent-Myanmar Dental Clinic in Tatkatho Yeikmon Housing in New University Avenue Road, agreed with Dr Min Yaung that standards of oral care were increasing.

“Most of the oral diseases can now be treated in Myanmar. We can now give international standard treatment with world class instruments,” she said
But she admitted that, for most of the people, the cost of oral health care was still too high.

“Here, the cost of oral treatment is not as high as in other countries. But for most of the people, it is still too high for them,” Dr Moe Thida Htwe said.

She said though that people who can not afford to go to dental clinics can instead receive treatment at the Institute of Dental Medicine, in Yangon’s Thingangyun Township.

“They can rely on the institute as it has adopted a cost-sharing system between patients and government that keeps the cost low,” she said, adding that patients will still receive good health care at the Institute of Dental Medicine.

Prof Dr Ko Ko Maung, head of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Yangon Institute of Dental Medicine, said that while awareness of oral care was increasing it was still poorly adhered to.

“Myanmar people are very weak in dental care and they never think to see a dentist even when they are suffering pain from dental cavities,” said Prof Ko Ko Maung, who recommends a dental checkup at least once a year.

Knowledge of dental care is especially poor in rural areas, he said, where people will often only come to the hospital when their problems reach a very critical stage.

The Reader’s Digest magazine suggested in a recent article that regular dental checkups can help diagnose more than oral health problems.

Dentists can spot signs of diabetes, heart disease and cancer, along with a variety of rare skin and autoimmune diseases if people regularly visit their dentists. Since people typically visit their dentist more often than they visit other doctors, that can lead to early diagnosis and early treatment.

Dr Min Yaung also recommends people visit their dentist for a checkup at least once a year.

“You should see the dentist at least every six month but if you are not able to go twice a year, you should see a dentist at least once a year,” he said, which was confirmed by Dr Moe Thida Htwe.

“You should see the dentist at least once a year if you cannot go twice a year. Most people in foreign countries already do that but in Myanmar there are few people who do. The important thing is to remember to go for a checkup even if you think nothing is wrong,” Dr Moe Thida Htwe said.

She said the Dent-Myanmar clinic is now employing a system to inform patients when it is time to see their dentist.

“We keep records of our patients and when the time comes for them to see their dentist again we inform them,” she said. “Maybe they have forgotten to come so when we inform them, they remember to come for the check-up.”