Brazil
Dental care for children in Brazil
Bringing smiles to children’s faces with much needed dental care
Health & Wellness
The Need
In Brazil, many children have never been to the dentist. The cost of dental care is beyond what families living in poverty can afford, and as a result, children can end up with serious dental problems even from an early age. With an estimated 96 per cent of five-year-old children in Brazil already suffering cavities, the need is overwhelming.
Oral health is an essential part of a child’s well-being. Not only do untreated dental problems cause children pain and discomfort but they can also impact their ability to perform basic functions like chewing and swallowing. That’s why children who suffer chronic oral health issues are also prone to malnutrition.
Without treatment, cavities can lead to more serious problems like abscesses, respiratory problems such as pneumonia and even brain infections. Poor oral hygiene also impacts children’s self-esteem, as it causes bad breath and unsightly tooth decay. Some children have stopped smiling out of embarrassment. Chronic discomfort, illness and low self-esteem cause children to miss school and activities at their Compassion centres. Some end up dropping out of school entirely.
Three of Compassion’s church partners in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, recognized how alarming the situation was and wanted to do more to help. More than 50 per cent of their beneficiaries had never been to the dentist, and many were experiencing serious problems with their oral health. To address the problem, our partners wanted to launch a comprehensive dental care program that offered dental cleaning and treatment for all 1,092 beneficiaries, as well as oral hygiene education for children and parents.
Our Response
Because of your kindness, 1,092 children from three Compassion centres in Barra do Corda and Colinas, in Maranhão, Brazil, were able to access dental treatment as well as comprehensive education in good oral hygiene. They are so grateful!
This intervention was set to begin in March 2020, but the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges as the nation went into lockdown. After restrictions lifted, management teams from each centre had some difficulty hiring professionals in the area who would be available to help. As a result, it was November 2020 before the intervention was able to resume.
Before receiving dental treatment, parents and beneficiaries attended educational sessions in small groups. Some parents were afraid to send their children at first because of the pandemic, but after centre staff called them and assured them all COVID-19 protocols like masking and social distancing were being followed, they happily arrived with their children. Parents and children watched video lessons about oral health care including how to brush teeth properly and were asked to return photos of them practising brushing their teeth. Each beneficiary also received an oral care kit that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss.
After the training sessions, each beneficiary received an examination from a dentist, recording the assessment and needs. The dental workers then carried out the necessary treatment. At least one development agent from each centre was on hand at the dental office to provide support for children and parents and to help reassure them, since this was the first time many of them had ever seen a dentist. All 1,092 children received prophylaxis (plaque and tartar removal and general cleaning), fluoride treatments and sealant. A total of 355 children received deep cleaning procedures and 254 required more comprehensive dental restoration treatments. In addition, 45 children had to have teeth extracted and 35 children underwent a procedure called a pulpotomy, which removes infected tissue from under a tooth to prevent more extensive decay. This intervention was completed by March 2021.
Your Gift Provides...
● Diagnostic and dental treatment for 1,092 beneficiaries, including:
○ 1,092 prophylaxis examinations and preventive treatment (fluoride)
○ 355 deep cleaning procedures
○ 254 dental restoration procedures
○ Tooth extractions for 45 children
○ Pulpotomy treatments for 35 children
● Oral hygiene kits for 1,092 children
○ Mouthwash, toothbrush, toothpaste and floss
● Printed educational materials
● Report and translation
ReportA message from those your gift helped
Before this intervention, I felt pain and sensitivity. I had rotten and black teeth and they ached a lot. Some children called me a rotten tooth and I was so ashamed I cried many times because of it.
Now, I am very happy because I was able to receive the whole treatment. My family could not afford to pay for it, and the health centre had no doctor to attend to me. The treatment was very good. Now I can smile because people will not laugh at me, and I no longer have toothaches. I am happy; I can eat without fear of feeling pain and I can smile at will.
Through this intervention I have learned the importance of being able to smile and to eat normally and not feel ashamed.
Thank you. I thank God very much for what you have done in my life and for my teeth.
ReportThank you for your generosity
With your help, 1,092 children between the ages of three and 14 received timely dental intervention. They and their families learned how to take care of their teeth, so they can prevent and limit problems in the future. This intervention was important not only for children’s oral health but also for their self-worth as it gave them a sense of hope and possibility for the future. Some teenagers are now even saying they want to become dentists.
While the COVID-19 pandemic presented delays and challenges, our partners worked hard to ensure that children received treatment as soon as possible and that training sessions were conducted in a safe and socially distanced way. Amazingly, local contributions even made it possible to extend some dental services to beneficiaries’ relatives.
In addition to the treatments, beneficiaries learned invaluable information about how to take care of their teeth and prevent oral disease. For many children who had never been to the dentist before, being cared for by a qualified professional had a profound impact, helping them imagine a future where they, too, could have a successful career and be able to help others. Though the centres were unable to hold a health fair to promote community awareness due to the pandemic, children and families are sharing their lessons of good oral care with friends and extended family, spreading good oral hygiene practices in their communities.
Thanks to you, these children and their families have new hope and a sense of dignity. We see the effects of this intervention in the beaming smiles on their faces. This intervention has also been an incredible witness in the community of the love of Christ expressed through the church. Thank you for your generosity and support!
ReportA message from a centre director
This intervention has been a milestone in our centre. Before, many of our beneficiaries suffered from diseases related to oral problems. They are so happy about the treatment. Besides being free from the pain or embarrassment related to their teeth, we notice changes in beneficiaries’ relationships, because they were ashamed to communicate before and now this problem has been solved.
The church and the centre have gained social visibility and new partnerships for the continuity and expansion of the actions we developed. In addition, the church has demonstrated care and commitment to implement this intervention without violating local government decree guidelines, even though we had to alter the schedule several times. We have been able to develop strategies, make our planning more flexible, establish new partnerships and spread the gospel through each of these actions. The community has gained education that can completely change the way they perceive oral hygiene and how much it affects people’s lives in different ways, be it appearance, functionality, self-esteem, self-care, etc. The community has started to value the centre and the church more.
This Intervention has greatly facilitated our ministry with the beneficiaries. There is no doubt that the love of God is being revealed in the hearts of these people through this Intervention. We look at each of these children with the sight of Christ, who sees them as belonging to the kingdom of God. In a practical way, we have demonstrated the care of God to each of the beneficiaries and their families.
Thank you for helping us in this great mission to help people experience a life of abundance in Christ.