As a frequent traveler, I developed the habit of getting my health checked prior to each departure from Canada, wanting to be spared any health problem while away. When I found out I would be staying in China permanently, I decided to wait for my next visit home to catch up on the appointments skipped... until I was a reprimanded by my dentist about how much worse my dental condition had gotten since my last visit!
As a dental hygienist, countless times since my arrival in China I’ve noticed foreigners enjoying a Tsingdao with a front tooth chipped or even completely missing! Either it's a new style I'm not aware of or it confirms I'm not the only one who fears local doctors.
We know for sure that prevention is better than cure, and yet still too many people wait to feel discomfort before visiting their dentist. Looking for a job in a dental clinic in Guangzhou, I came to realize that living overseas shouldn't be an obstacle to maintaining good health habits.
While dental hospitals in China mostly cure problems of desperate patients, private clinics center their practice on values closer to what most expats are used to, putting more emphasis on maintenance and prevention.
Did you know that research shows an evident link between oral health and increased risk of stroke, heart attack, premature birth, Alzheimer’s and diabetes complications? Good oral health is an important part of general health and well-being. Therefore, visiting a dentist once a year for a regular check-up can not only help avoid tooth decay and gum disease but can also help save a lot of time, money and worries.
The mouth is a gateway to our body. Put a dentist in charge of keeping an eye on it!
> Dr. Sophie Paquin Petitjean is a dental hygienist and consultant at Kaiyi Dental Clinic, 11/F, Ice Flower Hotel, Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 广州市天河区天河北路冰花酒店11楼
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