Abu Dhabi dentist eyes record books with '10,000 teeth'
By Ashwani Kumar
Published: Mon 22 Aug 2016, 1:23 PM
Last updated: Wed 24 Aug 2016, 4:35 PM
Meet an Indian dentist who never recommends tooth extraction but has ended up pulling out them in thousands.
Not just that, the dental surgeon from Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala has preserved almost all the teeth he has plucked.
Abu Dhabi-based Nizar Abdul Rahman also has a message for the people - 'Always keep smiling'.
5 'queer findings' by the dental surgeon
> There are people who haven't brushed for 15-20 years but they wanted 'Hollywood smile'.
> There are patients who won't trust the doctor and insist on removing wrong tooth.
> Afghan Pathans have strongest teeth as they chew food the most number of times.
> Filipinos' tooth is the easiest to extract as they always consume junk food and it makes teeth very weak.
> Bangladeshis think one will lose eyesight if tooth is extracted.
|
Nizar said he came to the Capital at the age of 26 and the locals weren't comfortable seeing a young and inexperienced doctor.
"So, I started preserving teeth just to convince them. It's more than 10,000," the dental surgeon said.
"Some patients take it back for religious reasons," said the doctor, who is working in Abu Dhabi for 15 years.
"I have been working with Baniyas Ahalia Medical Centre for 13 years and was with an Al Ain hospital for two years."
"I am eyeing Indian Limca Book of Records as well as Guinness World Record with this collection."
He preserves all teeth in the hospital and keeps them in hydrogen peroxide.
"I also clean them with disinfectant. There are few VIP teeth in this collection.
"I always suggest my patients all ways to save teeth. It's only after following all precautionary measures that we finally go for extraction," said the doctor,
He has also helped students with practical exams.
"Students contact me for teeth. They need it for practical exam and need to fill natural teeth."
Peculiar, weird patientsNizar has observed many strange cases in last 15 years of service.
"People from India, especially from Kerala don't turn up at clinic unless it's very serious. They will try all homely remedies and self-medication, and only if all of this fails they would come. People don't realise that the sooner they come the better it is to save the tooth. I am not sitting here to extract tooth but to save them."
"I have noticed a peculiar thing among patients from Pakistan. When anyone comes with a pen in his pocket, he will always have his notion of how things should be done. They won't listen to me.
"Sometimes it happens that pain will be in different teeth but they would insist on another teeth being extracted. Such patients will return soon to get the right teeth extracted."
Those coming from Bangladesh, he said, have weird doubts.
"Nearly, 90 per cent of people believe one will lose eyesight if tooth is extracted. I promise them my eye and that is how I convince them."
Those from African regions have very strong teeth, he said.
Nizar said that he could see the teeth and tell what the profession of a patient is.
"I can make out a tailor and an electrician. They will have groove in their teeth."
"I have had cases where patients openly admit they haven't brushed for 15-20 years but they want Hollywood smile. Such cases are challenging."
Food habits determine the strength of teeth, so chew for healthy teeth, another advice from the dentist.
"The more you chew the stronger your teeth get."
According to Dr Nizar, maintaining healthy teeth is not difficult. Aerated drinks harm the teeth in the worst way. Even tea and coffee are harmful.
He has a word of advice for all.
"People believe brushing hard will make teeth white. We should brush gently with soft bristles. Brushing is not wrestling match.
"One needs to brush twice a day and do dental flossing. Also, one should do a dental check-up once in six months. Moreover, doing a scaling is also very useful."
ashwini@khaleejtimes.com
Wife joins hubbyThe doctor's wife, Simi Nizar, also a dentist, has started collecting teeth she has removed from patients..
"I don't have such a big collection," said the Punalur native of Kollam district, a dental surgeon for four years at Al Salama Hospital in Baniyas.
On Nizar's average number of patients, he said: "I have daily 10-12 patients and have 5-7 extractions daily. I started this collection to prove a point but now this is a hobby. Two years back, my collection was 8,000. Now this will surely cross 10,000."
As of now, Jibreel Oysul, a consultant dental surgeon from Tamil Nadu, holds the Limca record having extracted, processed and collected 10,000 teeth since January 2011.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com