The Sunday Mail
A beautiful set of teeth is a source of confidence and at times an excellent selling point for certain career paths.
In an increasingly beauty-conscious society, the lack of a “perfect” smile can have far-reaching effects.
Some villagers in Goredema and Nemangwe, which are under Gokwe’s Chief Chireya, are suffering the brunt of having not-so-perfect teeth.
The majority of the villagers have discoloured teeth – a condition when both the outer and inner structure of the tooth darkens or get a severe yellow tint.
According to online sources, there are many causes of teeth discolouration, chief among them food, poor hygiene, tobacco use, disease, medications, advancing age and genetics.
For the Gokwe folk, the source of the darkening of the teeth is suspected to be the presence of high fluoride levels in the water the community drinks.
According to the villagers, close to 80 percent of locals have either dark or yellow tinted teeth.
But can having severely dark and yellow teeth be a cause of concern?
Tooth discolouration can be a source of both embarrassment and unimagined psychological distress.
Those with discoloured teeth often lack self-esteem and usually suffer from both physical and mental health stress.
Kathy Ruzara (20) of Goredema Village is one of the locals who has been negatively affected by the colour of her teeth.
Timid for her age, Ruzara was clearly anxious and struggled to open her mouth.
She struggled to smile throughout the interview as she often covered her mouth as she did not want to expose her almost black teeth.
Ruzara wished if there was a way to reverse her condition.
“According to my parents, my teeth got black during the stage at which the growth of permanent teeth began. If I had a choice I would had my teeth cleaned white,” the extremely shy Ruzara said.
Research has shown that teeth discolouration can greatly affect the ability of an individual to participate fully in society.
For Ruzara interacting with other members of society is a nightmare.
“Some people often joke about my teeth and it really affects me. I am praying for a remedy,” she added.
Thulani Zulu (32), whose teeth has a severe yellowish tint has seemingly resigned to fate.
“Some girls often make nasty remarks about my teeth. I am not comfortable to reveal my teeth to anyone. I, have however, learned to live with this condition. I did not elect to be who I am after all,” Zulu said.
Mr Josiah Muponderi, the local headman, said the water that the community drinks is the source of the discolouration.
“People who were born outside this area and those that came during a time when they had already developed permanent teeth do not have discoloured teeth. The water that we drink is the source of the problem,” Mr Mupnderi said.
He, however, said teeth discolouration can be avoided.
“There are generally two ways to avoid teeth getting dark. One way is make sure that a child who is at the stage of developing permanent teeth is taken to other places up until a time when that child has fully developed teeth. The other way is to make sure that a child at that stage of teeth development drinks water that has been fetched the previous day and kept overnight to cool and settle,” Mr Muponderi added.
The water that the community drinks is unusually warm and salty.
According to Mr Muponderi, research teams often descend on the village, taking water samples.
“We are tired of these researchers that have been taking water samples and taking pictures as if we are some kind of strange or mysterious people. I am sure there is a way to avoid teeth discolouration but it it’s just that the health authorities prioritise other health issues,” said Mr Muponderi.
The majority of those interviewed wanted to have the discolouration removed.
“Each time I go out of this area, people often look at my teeth and say that I am from this part of Gokwe. The colour of my teeth is now serving as my identity. Sometimes it is humiliating to say the least,” said Luck Mutimba, one of the locals with a severe case of teeth discolouration. According to online sources, tooth discolouration can cause significant cosmetic problems especially when it affects the outer side of teeth, which is usually exposed when a patient smiles.
In developed countries, tooth discolouration is one of the most frequent reasons for people seeking dental treatment.
Teeth discolouration is a world-wide phenomenon. It has been reported that 34 percent of the adult population in the United States are dissatisfied with the colour of their teeth, with 28 percent of adults in the United Kingdom unhappy with the appearance of their teeth.
The reports states that there has been a recent increase in interest in the treatment of tooth staining and discolouration.
Online sources indicates that tooth whitening agents are on the increase in the developed world as patients are not only demanding a healthy mouth but also a perfect smile.
