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29 March 2024

Dentist checkup at public clinic: Click here

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By Staff

Many expats postpone their dentist visit until they travel back home, where they know a price-friendly specialist who has been checking their teeth since they were little.

But did you know visiting a dentist does not need to cost much?

The Dubai Health Authority offers a full range of dentist services across its health care clinics.

Public clinics are in the rule cheaper than private clinics.

“The Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) dental services in the primary healthcare sector cover all spectrums of oral health," said Khalid Al-Gergawi, consultant prosthodontist.

"On a weekly basis, across all DHA primary healthcare centers there are 251 general dentistry clinics, 191 specialised dental clinics, 77 clinics for oral hygiene and 11 clinics for child health education."

According to the specialist, the number of oral health patients is on the rise. While the total registered visits for dental services at the DHA clinics were 187,311 in 2014, 111,414 visits have been recorded so far this year.

Gergawi said the main cause for these visits is caries and complications that arise out of caries.

"The main cause of caries is poor oral hygiene and a diet that is high in sugar content and junk food.

"The other problem is frequent daily consumption of these foods. Dentists recommend that people should eat sugary foods at one time during the day rather than eat it in smaller quantities throughout the day.”

He added that patients often delay visiting the dentist which worsens the problem.

“Many patients visit us when the tooth is severely decayed and cannot be restored unless replaced. This complicates a simple caries case into a more complex procedure.

"Ideally, people should visit a dentist or a hygienist every six months to detect any caries or oral problems early on.  This prevents further complications and loss of tooth.

"Moreover, regular visits help clean plaque built up which is essential to maintain a proper oral hygiene.

"The second most common problem after caries is gum disease, which is caused by poor oral hygiene that leads to bacteria buildup and other systemic diseases.

"Diabetics are more likely to develop periodontal disease and therefore they need to follow a disciplined oral hygiene routine.”