Dental team making a difference in Tanzania

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A team of dental staff are raising money to make a difference in Tanzania.

The team from Ringley Park Dental Practice in Reigate, are working hard to raise money to help poor people in Tanzania. Currently, oral health can be a matter of life and death in the country and people die every day from routine problems which are treated quickly and easily in developed countries.

The team, which is made up of dentists, Jill Nightingale and Paul Barnes and dental hygienist, Karen Philipson, have been volunteering and raising money for charity for many years and are hoping to raise awareness of the serious problems in Tanzania.

According to Jill Nightingale, most people are unaware of the extent of the health problems facing Tanzanian people; most people know about the famine and the natural disasters but very few realise that dental health can also be a killer.

According to Dr Barnes there is now a much greater need for dentists because a large proportion of people now drink fizzy, sugary drinks because they are cheaper than bottles of water and natural water supplies are dirty. Dr Barnes said that people do not understand the implications of drinking fizzy drinks and when they do develop oral health issues, the resources are not there to provide treatment. There is a widespread shortage of dentists and dentists lack the necessary training; most people cannot afford dental treatment even if they could access a dentist.

The team from Ringley Park works alongside the charity Bridge2Aid, which helps to provide basic dental care and dental equipment, as well as providing local communities with information about oral health. The volunteer dentists are organising a masquerade ball and the proceeds will go towards Bridge2Aid.

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