Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) has incorporated dental care services into the routine and specialised medical outreaches being implemented monthly in remote, rural and hard-to-reach areas every month.   This is because dental care is a luxury that is out of reach for the majority of the inhabitants in rural areas and usually travel long distances to access the most basic dental care, which is a barrier to timely treatment.   For April, the medical personnel sent to Kanchibiya District, in Muchinga Province provided dental services to over 111 settlers.   The prevalent oral disease observed during the outreach is dental carries and villagers have opted to use traditional medicines administered using tattoos (inembo) to ease the toothache.   Dental therapist Morris Chansa narrated that this is a result of a lack of access to dental services as it is costly for settlers to travel 200 kilometers (km) to access the service at the nearest hospital.   "From the four (4) serviced Rural health centres in the district namely Mbati, Kabinga, Mapoma and Kopa respectively majority of settlers presented dental carries.   Tooth extractions were performed on over 100 people but the majority of them had tattoos on the side of their faces.   From the explanation of the patients found with tattoos, traditional medicines were used to ease the pain.   In an interview, the patients disclosed that the treatment to relieve pain was temporary for a few months,". Consequences of untreated dental caries:  

1. Pain and Infection

Untreated dental problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease, can cause significant pain and discomfort. In severe cases, these conditions can lead to tooth loss, abscesses, and life-threatening infections.  

2. Malnutrition

  Poor dental health can make it difficult for individuals to eat, leading to malnutrition and other related health problems. For children, malnutrition can have long-lasting effects on growth and development.   3.Economic Impact   The consequences of inadequate dental care also extend beyond individual health, affecting the broader economy. Lost productivity due to oral health issues can hinder economic development.   As ZFDS, we always ensure that free dental health care is provided to all.