Job Discussion Forums

[Glenski]

bshabu,

Those garbled characters should read (in katakana) "fu" plus a small "tsu".

[leeroy]

(Why the hell am I reading a thread about Japanese dentists? I don't live in Japan, I've never been there - and I certainly don't know anything about Japanese dentists... Anyway...)

So why is it that my Japanese students in London have uniformly awful teeth? (Yeah yeah, I know, British people don't have the best dental reputation, but still) Is it something in their culture that lacks respect for dental care?

[cangel]

Regarding fluoride, I have had 2 dentists tell me that the toothpaste in Japan doesn't contain the stuff. I was speaking to one of my Japanese colleagues who has a brother teaching in the dental school at Kyushu University and his brother states that some toothpastes do contain fluoride but only in trace amounts and that is why Japanese have such bad teeth. Japan is sort of a strange country when it comes to food and drug additives. Remember the steamed buns at the convenience stores in Osaka last year? They came from China but were found to contain a "prohibited" food additive. From newspaper accounts, Japan is the only industrialized country that bans this food additive. Another example is anti-perspirant deodorant which is also banned in Japan because it contains aluminum (in whatever form). The good thing is that you can order it through FBC and other sources. During the summers I love it when the other teachers come back from class with huge armpit stains. However, 50 years from now I may have some unforeseen ailment linked to the product...

[Glenski]

Sorry, but those dentists obviously can't read their own labels, or you didn't communicate with them properly. (Perhaps they meant fluoride in water; see my last comments.) No offense, but it's pretty obvious on the toothpaste labels. See these pictures if you don't agree. (The toothpaste on the far left even has NaF (sodium fluoride) next to the katakana spelled in English! The middle tube has NaF partially obscured by the price label, but it's there.)
http://www.xylitolstudy.co.kr/sub04-02-05.htm

Lion makes good cheap toothpaste with fluoride. The brands are Clinica (in Japanese) and White & White (English). In fact, it's had fluoridated toothpaste in Japan since 1948. (and Ban anti-perspirant since 1962)
http://www.lion.co.jp/en/products/html/pro0101f1.htm

Ask them what they think of the following web site from Miyazaki which clearly says (at the bottom) that "some" Japanese toothpastes have fluoride as indicated by the katakana I have already mentioned.
http://www.bonchi.jp/english/miyazaki/h001.htm

[bshabu]

I agree with Glenski. If in doupt, you can buy Aquafresh. It has fluoride.

[G Cthulhu]

What Glenski said.

It constantly amazes me that so many people are content to trot out the cliches about Japanese dentists and the system here. Especially those people that've often never been to a dentist in Japan.

I've written about it before here on eslcafe, but it bears saying again evidently: under the National Health Insurance scheme, it's cheaper, faster and the standard of work is, IMO, generally higher than anything I've ever experienced in NZ, Australia or the US.

Are there bad dentists in Japan? Sure. Same as anywhere. Do they have different clinical practices to some other countries? Sure. So what? Do the Japanese have 'poorer' teeth? Depends on your standards; if you've been brought up with the grossly excessive and over-weening US-style of dental obsession, then yes. Compared to some other countries, no. Add in the prevelance of a genetic problem (melocollusia (sp?)) in the population and you've got most of an explanation.


Whatever. :)

[easyasabc]

[G Cthulhu]

[easyasabc]

[cafebleu]

What is the `genetic problem` regarding teeth that Cthluhu mentioned? Please explain.

Can`t agree that it is only the American obsession with perfect dentures that makes foreigners think the Japanese have poor teeth. I am from the UK and even people who don`t pay much attention to dental hygiene tend to usually (not always) have better teeth than the Japanese. I don`t think it is fluoride - it is a problem to do with their bone structure I believe.

There seem to be too many teeth crowding a relatively small mouth. Maybe the next time a Japanese person I barely know comments on how big my nose is, I can say `Yes, and wow you have so many teeth for that small (physically) mouth.`

[foster]

Luckily, I have never had to see a dentist over seas. One friend of mine had root canal done in Osaka and she said they did not freeze her first, which would be UBER painful!

I will wait until I go home this summer for dental work. Nothing against Asian dentists, but I have mine at home and personal preference is very important. In the past 20+ years, I have had about $25,000 CDN worth of work done to my teeth and I want the same dentist. I am VERY anal about my teeth.

as for toothpaste, again, flouride or not, I found Japanese toothpastes to be too sweet, so I had Crest and *good stuff* (IMHO) sent to me in Osaka. Hong Kong has more choices and I think better dental hygiene.

[oich]

[foster]

If I tell you all the work I have had done, you would be shocked....and maybe disgusted as my one friend was....an unfortunate bike accident when I was 8 (with permanent teeth) was the cause of 90% of it.

[G Cthulhu]

[Star 9]

I have a student who is a denetist and he tells me that by law he can not turn away patients. This might explain why sessions tend to be short and frequent.

Anyway, I am planning to use this thread in class so I will let you know how he responds to these issues raised.