A Killer Toothache

We are all part of a team here on the ship.  From the workers in the galley to the teachers in the school, we are all here to serve the poor of West Africa.  I appreciate how we are reminded of this when we learn about the programs that happen on and off the ship.

The dental clinic

When Dr Mark, a dentist from the US, came to the ship, he thought he was coming mainly to relieve people's pain.  If you've ever had a toothache that keeps you up all night, you can understand how people with no dental care can suffer over a long period of time.

The people that line up for dental care are in pain, and the dentists here pull a lot of teeth.  What Dr Mark didn't expect was to see osteomyelitis, which is infection of the bone caused by severe dental disease. When he was is dental school, he was told that he might see one case of this in his entire career.  In the almost six months that the ship has been in Congo, he has seen five cases.  So Dr Mark is saving lives.

Recently, the dental clinic saw a man with an abscess that was so large it was blocking his airway.  They drained it at the clinic, then sent him to the ship for surgery.  Through a series of miracles, he's recovered, and is currently at the Hope Center..

Dental disease is a disease of the poor.  No dental care, no toothbrushes, little dental hygiene.  The dental team also goes to orphanages, schools and prisons to treat patients and to teach hygiene.

More of the dental team 

Debbie