September 16, 2014
Dentistry an iwi issue
Iwi are being told they need to be concerned about their people's teeth, not only for health but for cultural reasons.
Rudi Johnson from the Maori Dental Association Te Ao Marama says oral health is a huge concern for Maori.
She is seeing children hospitalised with dental disease, including a three-year-old who had to have all her teeth removed because her caregiver grandmother had been putting soft drinks in the baby bottle.
Dr Johnson says some iwi such as Tuhoe are adding dentistry as a priority in their health programmes, because they see the impact poor teeth have on people's lives.
"They would go to meetings and all sorts of hui and some of their kaumatua or some of their prominent speakers were too embarrassed to stand up and talk because of the state of their teeth," she says.
Dr Johnson says Te Ao Marama backs water fluoridation because it's the best and most cost effective way of getting fluoride to people, which is critical for strengthening teeth.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH RUDI JOHNSON CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjIxNzM=
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