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Jamaica can be added to the list of countries that struggles with oral health.
The standards of oral health in Jamaica are a major concern for health officials. Many people cannot afford to visit the dentist regularly, so they simply delay the visit. Research shows that only about 15 percent of the people can get some kind of healthcare and about 6 percent receive some kind of dental treatment.
The result is much higher costs because instead of a routine checkup, more complicated procedures become necessary. If the person could have spent the money on the checkup, then he or she would have ended up saving money.
Not surprisingly, there’s a large percentage of people in Jamaica that have some type of oral health problem. And as research shows, poor oral health will eventually lead to a person’s overall health declining.
Another problem for Jamaicans is that there are less then 200 dentists in the entire country. That’s well below the amount they should have, considering the population. These dentists are also located in the more urban areas of the country.
Dentists and health officials will try to encourage the people to visit the dental more regularly. But, for now, most people in Jamaica will have to rely on dentists who come on dental missions and offer free services and the donated dental equipment.
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