The dental care needs of Malaysian Hajj pilgrims

Divine dental: Meeting the oral healthcare needs of Malaysian Hajj pilgrims

For many pilgrims, the Hajj entails a change in both environment and diet, which brings with it a range of challenges for dental care. (Image: Nurlan Mammadzada/Shutterstock)

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 16 July 2024

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MECCA, Saudi Arabia: Every year, over 30,000 Malaysian Muslims travel to Mecca to perform the Hajj, a pilgrimage that constitutes a central pillar of the Islamic faith and a religious imperative for those who are physically and financially capable. Their pilgrimages are facilitated primarily through the Tabung Haji institution, a Malaysian government agency that arranges the financial, logistical and healthcare aspects of the journey, including dental care.

This year, the five-day ritual cycle of the Hajj occurred between 14 and 19 June, when the daily highs ranged between 46 and 49 ℃, utterly scorching heat that ultimately claimed the lives of over 1,300 pilgrims. In such oppressive conditions, the physical well-being of pilgrims is of significant concern—and this extends to dental care.

To this end, the Tabung Haji established a medical centre, including a dedicated dental unit, to ensure the well-being of citizens undertaking the pilgrimage. In a news article from Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, Dr Umairah Razali, the dentist leading the clinic, stated that most pilgrims seek treatment for dislodged dental fillings from eating hard foods such as nuts and fruits and for ulcers due to insufficient water intake, and many require scaling.

The main goal of the dental unit is to provide pilgrims with a dental experience as close in quality and comfort to what they are accustomed to at home in Malaysia. While some equipment and materials are easily transported from Malaysia, others are not. Dr Razali explained: “It’s difficult to bring dental materials from Malaysia. Some materials, such as fillings and anaesthesia for extractions, must be purchased here. The issue arises when these materials, despite being the same brand, aren’t suitable for Malaysians, and the costs are high.”

The dental unit thus provides an invaluable service to Malaysian pilgrims within a highly challenging environment and stands to meaningfully contribute to their oral health for years to come.

Topics:

Public Health Dentistry

Tags:

Hajj Malaysia Mecca Pilgrimage

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