- An enlightening YouTube video sheds light on dentistry in the Russian Arctic
- There are no dental clinics for over 300 miles, so they have to do things at home
- In one clip, a man is seen pulling out someone else’s tooth with a pair of pliers
If you are stingy and afraid of the dentist, then look away now!
An illuminating one YouTube video sheds light on how nomadic reindeer herders in the Russian Arctic deal with dental problems.
With no hospitals or dental clinics for more than 300 miles, the community takes it upon itself to perform surgeries with only basic equipment to work with.
In one clip, a man is seen pulling out another man’s tooth with a pair of pliers, which he sterilizes in a fire beforehand.
An enlightening YouTube video sheds light on how nomads in the Russian Arctic cope with dental problems
With no hospitals or dental clinics for more than 300 miles, the community undertakes to perform surgeries with only basic equipment to work
After the tooth comes out, they give him a shot of vodka to ‘prevent infection’
In the video, subtitles explain that for centuries the teeth of northern nomads were fine as they ate a lot of frozen, raw meat, but the rise of western foods has led to more dental problems
The man with the toothache can be heard screaming in pain as the DIY extraction takes place.
After the tooth is extracted, he is given a shot of vodka to “prevent infection.”
In the video, subtitles explain that for centuries the teeth of the northern nomads were fine as they ate a lot of frozen, raw meat, but the rise of western foods led to more dental problems.
Some of the worst offending products, according to the video, are bread, dairy, sweets, biscuits and ‘tea with a lot of sugar’.
Instead of “hard raw meat”, nomads also began to eat soft “boiled meat with noodles”, and fresh fruits and vegetables, which are essential for healthy gums and teeth, are hard to come by.
As a result, one nomad says that the teeth of “many nomads” are in pretty bad shape.
Among men the problem is worse, explains one male interviewee, as they tend to “smoke a lot, which is also bad for the teeth”.
The video notes that nomadic families tend to visit cities twice a year to stock up on supplies, and during this time, they may visit a dentist.
To restore damaged teeth, subtitles reveal that metal crowns are often used, and several of the interviewees in the video have had them fitted.
A nomad smiles to reveal a row of metal crowns on his top front teeth
A nomad says that “many nomads’ teeth are in very bad shape”
Among men the problem is worse, explains one man interviewed, as they tend to “smoke a lot, which is also bad for the teeth”.
Instead of “hard raw meat”, nomads also began to eat soft “boiled meat with noodles”
While young people have strong and healthy teeth, the nomadic diet gradually takes its toll
In one scene, a nomad smiles to reveal a full set of metal crowns on his top front teeth.
The end of the video explains that older nomads generally eat porridge as it is easier to eat with bad teeth.
Many viewers commented on how painful the tooth extraction was.
One commenter wrote: “I felt the man’s pain. I was so sad to see this. All the best to him and his family and all the other shepherds.’
Another viewer from the US said they could relate to the pain, as to save money their parents would ‘take the cord’ and ‘take out’ theirs as a child.
