Dental Wise




Dear Dr. Khan,
I am a 48-year-old diabetic. I am using artificial dentures. I can not chew properly and it smells. There is also some tilting movement. Actually, some of my other teeth are loose as well. What should I do? Should I get my teeth pulled out and have new dentures made? Haider
Dear Mr Haider,

If you do not clean your dentures regularly or if the material used in your dentures is of poor quality then it may start to smell. Sometimes, because of other loose teeth a denture cannot properly fit- this may cause the tilting movement. If you really have bad teeth that can't be preserved, then I strongly recommend dental extraction and suggest you have new dentures made. As a diabetic patient you can visit the Department of Dentistry at BIRDEM hospital and have your dental treatment.

Dear Dr Khan,
I read Dental Wise regularly and I am a huge fan! But I really want to have a dental consultation with you. I have dental phobia and fear of dental drilling. As a child I had bad dental experiences. I have a few dental caries and need fillings. Can you assure me of painless fillings?
Kishor

Dear Mr Kishor,
The reasons why people are afraid of visiting the dentist are varied and include pain, previous bad experiences and a fear of the unknown. I believe nowadays many dental surgeons in Bangladesh can assure you of painless treatment. Dentistry has come a long way over the last few years and many of you will be surprised on your next visit. Even if you have put off going to the dentist and are experiencing problems, your dentist has new ways to provide relatively painless treatment. To eliminate the discomfort associated with injections, topical agents are applied to tissues prior to the injection. But whatever the new advances in dentistry “A clean soothing atmosphere and a calm, reassuring dentist can make your next dental visit more pleasant”.

Dear Dr. Khan,
Young boys and girls usually start wearing braces at the age of 14 or 15. Is it really necessary to start wearing braces at such a young age? If one starts wearing it at the age of 18 or 19, does it matter? Does age really matter when it comes to wearing braces?
Thanks
Tanveera Hussein

Dear Ms Tanveera,
An orthodontist (specialist for braces) will decide when it is appropriate to start wearing braces. But usually, people start wearing them when they are 12 or 13 and sometimes the starting age even moves up to 30 or 35. Age is a very big factor for tooth movement. Only an orthodontist can guide you about the prognosis of your treatment.

Dear Dr.Khan,
It was nice to read about inlays in Dental Wise. I had the same problem and tried conventional metal filling thrice but due to the lack of a supporting wall, it didn't last long. Finally, when I went to USA to study, a dentist there performed an inlay. I had that inlay done 12 years ago and it still looks perfect. I was wondering why you called inlays “new technology”. Did you mean to say that they are a new arrival in Bangladesh? Why did you not start using them twelve years ago? By the way, a friend of mine had you do an inlay last year. And it is faring well. Do you do porcelain inlays?
Madsur

Dear Mr Madsur,
Inlay is not a new technology in dentistry but it's a relatively new approach in Bangladesh. Inlays are expensive and need accurate measurements to fit properly. This is the drawback for which we started using them only recently. No, I do not do porcelain inlays.

What is the difference between a convertible account and non-convertible Taka account?

The convertible account as per the FX Guideline of Bangladesh Bank (BB) is an account which Authorised Dealers are allowed to open in the names of foreign organisations or nationals with reference to diplomatic missions, UN organisations, non-profit international bodies, foreign contractors and consultants engaged for specific projects under the Government, semi-Government agencies and the expatriate employees of such missions or organisations who are resident in Bangladesh.

These accounts may be credited and debited with foreign currency under certain conditions stipulated by Bangladesh Bank.

A non-convertible Taka account can be opened by foreign organisations or their expatriate personnel mentioned above without prior BB approval.

Though both are maintained in Taka, from non-convertible taka accounts the funds credited cannot be reconverted to Foreign Currency (FCY). Credit to this type of account can also be done from authorised sources.

What is a KYC? Why are Banks asking for it?

In plain terms KYC means Know Your Customer. Now, to know the customer, Bangladesh Bank in its Anti-Money Laundering Circular of 2002 has mandated banks to obtain certain information and take certain documents from prospective clients prior to opening the accounts. These documents are primarily identification papers.

What is an ERQ account?

This is basically an Export Retention Quota Account. It can be opened and operated by an exporter. A certain percentage of the export proceeds coming from abroad can be retained in the account by the exporter. For export of goods with high import content, this percentage amount will be smaller.

What is an Excise Duty?

This is a duty imposed by NBR payable by the depositor maintaining a deposit account at a bank. The duty amount deducted depends on the balance maintained by the depositor. In other words the excise duty amount would depend on the deposit maintained by the customer. Excise Duty is deducted once a year by the banks. The total duty amount collected from the depositors is then paid through a chalan to Bangladesh Bank.