One Hmong Dentist Attempts to Improve her Community’s Dental Health

Most of us don’t think twice about following a basic brushing and flossing routine every day.  However, there is one community of people that has been comparatively resistant to the idea of dental hygiene.  The Hmong people from southeast Asia have a peculiar mistrust of basic dental hygiene practices like brushing and flossing. In the US, there are scattered communities of Hmong people spread out across states like California and Wisconsin. One Hmong dental hygienist in Wisconsin is attempting to bring about changes in the community’s dental practices.

The dental hygienist La Lore was born and brought up in Wisconsin, but is strongly connected to her Hmong roots. She is fluent in the language, which has help her establish her dental practice in the local Hmong community in her town. Part of the challenge for La Lore is trying to change these conservative and traditional people’s practices of dental care. Most Hmong immigrants in Wisconsin have arrived here from Thailand and Laos, and don’t have a strong foundation of dental hygiene. Dental treatment for most of them, consists of visiting a dentist after they begin to notice problems, like tooth aches. Most dental treatment for Hmong patients consists of emergency treatment, but La Lore is trying to change all that. She explains to her patients the importance of preventive care, but for most of them it is a concept that is difficult to grasp.

These are people who are used to getting treatment only when their teeth hurt, and prefer to leave a tooth alone when it isn’t hurting. There is very little understanding of how plaque can attack teeth and how a daily brushing and flossing routine can help in the prevention of gum disease. La Lore makes use of pictures and drawings to explain dental care to her patients and she says she is beginning to see slow, but visible changes in the way people take care of their teeth.

Basic dental hygiene

Most dental problems can be prevented by keeping the mouth and teeth clean and free from harmful bacteria.  While a dentist can undertake a professional cleaning of the teeth to remove tartar and plaque that can cause dental caries and gum disease, you can reduce the need for emergency dental treatment by regularly brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily. Ask your dentist to recommend a tooth brush that's just right for cleaning your teeth. Your dentist will also teach you the right way to floss your teeth to get rid of food debris that are stuck between your teeth.  An antibacterial mouthwash can help clean your mouth of harmful bacteria, if used daily. Avoid starchy and sugary foods that tend to stay behind on the teeth long after you have finished eating. Sugary foods can cause the breakdown of acids that can attack your teeth leading to cavities.  Visit your dentist regularly, preferably every six months, for a complete preventive check up, and follow his advice carefully..