Oral-health Beliefs and Practices of Dai People: A Qualitative Study

Objective: To explore the traditional oral health beliefs and oral health practices among the Dai ethnic minority group living in remote villages in Yunnan, China. Method: Four traditional Dai villages in remote mountainous areas in Yunnan Province, China, were selected by purposive sampling. In each village, the leaders, senior members and elders were invited for a focus group discussion on traditional oral health beliefs, oral hygiene practices and traditional methods to manage dental problems. Each focus group consisted of 6 participants and there was a facilitator who asked the pre-determined key questions. Discussions among the participants were conducted in the local dialect and video-recorded. Translation and transcripts were made with assistance from local people. Data were extracted for qualitative analysis of the content. Result: Four focus-group discussions involving 24 Dai participants were conducted. The participants considered healthy teeth to be related to good general health. To them, a healthy dentition meant well-aligned dental arches with no missing teeth, no tooth decay, no pain nor halitosis. Sweet snacks and tooth worms were believed to be the main causes of tooth decay, and the latter could be transferred from parents to children. Traditionally, Dai people brushed their teeth using bamboo strips aided by powder of rice or charcoal. They also rinsed their teeth with water for tooth cleaning. They believed that chewing mixture of betel nuts, leaves, tobacco and lime could prevent tooth decay and promote oral health. Stained teeth were not considered aesthetically unpleasing. They applied beeswax topically to the tooth concerned or took bitter or peppery herbs when they had toothache. Conclusion: Dai people treasure their teeth which are considered an integral part of body. They believe tooth decay is caused by tooth worms while chewing substances containing betel nuts, tooth brushing and rinsing with water can promote good teeth.