Hello everyone! I’m Toda, a long-term nursing volunteer for Dream Train.
The first rainy season in Myanmar has passed and this year we were able to survive the rainy season without any major outbreaks.
Usually, around this time of year, there is traveling between Japan and Myanmar, and Dr Matsumoto, a pediatric dentist comes to perform dental examinations. However, due to Covid-19, they were unable to visit this year. So, this year I decided to the oral check-ups myself.
In Japan, most children are taught by their parents how to brush their teeth and thus many people have been practicing the habit since childhood, including myself. In Myanmar, this is not always the case. Some children in the village have never brushed their teeth and learn to brush for the first time after joining the Dream Train.
When newly enrolled children join, they have their oral cavity examined, but it is always surprising to see missing or misshapen teeth, or multiple black and discoloured teeth. Initially, I wondered why this occurred and was surprised that the children say that it doesn’t hurt, despite the presence of deep cavities. It made me realise the need for tooth brushing instruction.
The older siblings of the students teach and give guidance where I can’t by demonstrating the habit themselves. When I could examine the children’s oral cavities again, just a few months after they had entered Dream Train, I was impressed by the cleanliness of their teeth and the evidence of their daily brushing habits.
However, some children still need further treatment. In particular, children in the lower grades of elementary who don’t brush sufficiently. Some of the children also complain of pain due to a build-up of dental plaque.
For these cases, we treat the children with the cooperation of Shwe Bhone Dental Care in Yangon.
Children are confused by the unfamiliar setting, instruments and the experiencing dental treatment for the first time. However, after the treatment, they smiled and said “It was fine!”, thanks to the dentist’s kind explanation and quick treatment.
Through this initiative, the dental health of children can be protected and children can lead their lives with peace of mind. Thank you very much to Dr Matsumoto and Shwe Bhone Dental Care for your continued involvement in the health management of the children.
When Covid-19 has subsided, I hope that Dr Matsumoto will come to next year’s examination so that we can continue seeing the beautiful teeth of the children and we can continue to make sure that they can eat delicious food with their own teeth for their whole lives. We will continue to protect the dental health of children!