Inuit Population more prone to Dental Problems
Inuit officials in Nunavut have demanded better oral health services for indigenous people after a survey revealed that Inuit people are more prone to developing oral health problems.
Health Canada’s Inuit Oral Health Survey, which was released in March, found that more than 85 percent of Inuit children have cavities in at least eight of their teeth. The survey also found that few Inuit people see a dentist despite the fact that oral health problems are so prevalent. The study also highlighted the prevalence of decay amongst teenagers, with almost 98 percent of adolescents suffer from decay.
As the proportion of people that see a dentist is so low, most cases of decay are left untreated and people end up with severe decay and gum disease. Dr Stephen Partyka, a local dentist, said that the rate of tooth extraction is very high because no other treatment can be used once the decay has become so advanced.
Dr Partyka attributed the shockingly high rates of decay and gum disease with a poor diet, smoking and irregular visits to the dentist.
Research shows that many Nunavut communities do not have dental services and as a result, a high proportion of the population goes without dental care. Dentists fly up from Southern Canada for periods of time to host clinics and provide as many people with treatment as possible; however, this system is failing local people because the demand far outweighs the supply.
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