The Dental Health Education Programme at Westgate has been given the thumbs up by the inmates who participated.
And three of them who spoke to The Royal Gazette shared their determination to continue practising good oral hygiene once they are released.
“I never knew the exact way to brush my teeth,” said Inmate A, a 28-year-old serving a ten-year sentence.
“I only used to brush my teeth once a day but since I’ve been in the programme I know I’ve got to do it at least two, three times a day. I never realised how much brushing your teeth meant to your teeth as far as your health is concerned.”
Inmate A went to bed one night and forgot to brush his teeth. In a panic he awoke at 2 a.m. and rushed to do it. He wanted to be seen to be taking the programme seriously.
“I feel real good about the programme,” he said.
“Before the programme I would spend only about 30 seconds brushing my teeth, but now it’s at least two minutes. “Because of the programme you can see at what stage other people’s teeth are in.
“When you see somebody else’s teeth get clean you don’t want your own teeth to go back that far. It’s terrible. That makes me stay on top of cleaning my teeth a whole lot more.
“I can’t even go to sleep at night now without brushing my teeth. Now I’m so keen on keeping them clean I brush them every morning and every night.”
Inmate B, 36-years-old and serving 11 years, had additional challenges with his teeth because he is a smoker.
“You can see tartar, but once they got it off I don’t want it back on,” he stated.
“I was brushing five, six, seven times a day. Everytime I eat or smoked a cigarette I would brush because I just don’t feel right. I’m trying to stop smoking but right now I’m not able to do that. But this might help me to stop smoking, because my teeth are a funny colour because of smoking.”
Added Inmate A: “She (hygienist Brenda Harris-Scott) was telling us that your teeth builds up plaque while you sleep, and I didn’t know that.”
The inmates admit that serving a prison sentence gives them plenty of time to reflect on their health and their lives, things they took for granted before being incarcerated.
“When I get out I’m going to make sure to brush my teeth after I eat,” said Inmate B.
Assured Inmate A: “It’s definitely going to stick with me for the rest of my life. When I was in school I never realised how important the fluoride tablets were. I didn’t pay attention to it until now, and how much fluoride helps your teeth.”
The importance of flossing also seems to have reached the inmates who participated in the programme.
“When I was out I would floss once in a while or when I got something stuck in my teeth,” said Inmate A.
“I feel like I accomplished something during the class. They showed us diagrams and after that gave us a multiple choice quiz and I was amazed at how much I got right.”
Inmate C, serving four years, admits he feels better about himself as a result of the programme.
“I never knew how to clean my teeth properly. I flossed before but not as regularly as I do now,” he revealed.
“The programme was worthy, I was excited about the programme and when I finished it I was even more excited. I stopped smoking cigarettes some time back, but after having my teeth cleaned I want to keep them that way.
“I used to get my teeth cleaned outside but I didn’t know the education part of it. Your teeth represents a lot, taking care of your teeth shows that you take care of yourself. We all have two sets of teeth and this is the last set.”
Inmate B dreads the thought of false teeth and promised: “When I leave here I’m taking my teeth with me.”
On October 25 the prison will hold a `graduation’ for those who participated in all three phases of the programme. The graduation ceremony will acknowledge their achievement and give them eligibility for a follow-up with the hygienist in six months time.
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