While we may ignore our oral health, teeth are an extremely important part of our body. They are the strongest part of our body but that does not mean they are invincible. Without proper care, our teeth can also rot, get affected by cavities, and fall off. And then, even a smile might look unusual.
If you look for aesthetics, then you probably know already – teeth can make people fall in love with you. Plus, a good set of teeth means you can chew your food properly and not get digestive issues. So, there are many benefits of having a good set of teeth.
But, not everyone is that lucky.
Many people, due to poor oral hygiene or genetic conditions, can have a poor set of teeth. And that is where a Brazilian dentist, Felipe Rossi, comes in. His job, to correct the teeth of people – for free. He is part of an NGO called Por1sorriso NGO – started back in 2016. The purpose of this NGO is to fix the teeth of poor people for free.
The dentist has a philosophy – if you know something special, you should try to use it to better the community around you. That’s why he chose this non-profit way of contributing to society. Plus, he is not just limited to Brazil. He has gone to places like Mozambique and Kenya to bring about a change. Since he does not charge for his services, the third world countries with a lot of poor people often ask for his services.
One of his patients, Terri Rimmer, talks about how he has helped better her life.
After the free surgery, she could now smile in front of the camera with a lot of confidence. Plus, she loves to eat, but the lack of teeth meant she had to keep her culinary desires in check – no cherries and limited salad tasting. Her teeth were so poor that Rossi had to remove all her teeth and construct them from the bones of a corpse. The surgery must have been challenging, but in the end, the life of Rimmer has taken a massive turn.
It was quite painful, as per Rimmer’s recollection. Screws and implants were put in her mouth as they pulled out the dentures. The medicines caused her digestive issues. She had to go through a lot of pain and trouble to get a normal life.
Now, she has gained a lot of respect too.
People need to keep themselves healthy inside out. Oral hygiene should not take a back seat just because it does not cause any life-threatening issues. They are important, and we should take care of them.
There are many patients of Rossi who have got back their confidence after an oral treatment:
While we might be privileged enough to get our own oral treatment, the poor may not have such luck. That’s why we need people like Rossi to bring about a change in their lives with their kind contributions.
Image Credit: Felipe Rossi
