Many factors may influence the Amish people’s approach to dental health, including their cultural beliefs, access to dental care, and individual preferences. In this article, we’ll explore everything about Amish dental health and provide insights into this often-misunderstood aspect of the Amish way of life.
Most Amish people can’t seek modern dental care for their teeth problems due to a few specific reasons. Therefore, many Amish choose to remove all their teeth instead of treating one problematic tooth because it’s more convenient and affordable.
If you are curious to find out why, read on.
Why do Amish People Get Their Teeth Pulled?
As people who value humility over vanity, Amish families don’t stress about the appearance of their teeth. Preventive care for their gums and teeth is never a priority for the Amish. In cases of severe toothache and decay, however, it is a different story.
The Amish don’t usually seek dental care from modern dentists, not because their church forbids them, but because they don’t have insurance, and the costs for such services are way too expensive for people living a simple life.
In addition, modern dental care is inaccessible to some Amish communities. They would have to travel miles on their horse buggies before they could get help for their problem teeth.
Therefore, many Amish people choose to have all their teeth pulled out in one visit to prevent long-term dental visits and treatments.
For them, the most effective preventive care for tooth decay is to remove one, a couple, or even a mouthful of healthy teeth.
Do the Amish Pull Teeth as Part of the Amish Tradition?
Contrary to what many non-Amish people believe, pulling teeth is not a cultural or religious practice specific to the Amish.
While it is true that many Amish people may have teeth removed for medical reasons, such as severe tooth decay or gum disease, the idea that pulling teeth is an Amish tradition is a misconception and is not supported by evidence.
Do Amish People Wear Dentures?
If there’s one thing that many Amish communities have in common, it’s the Amish preference to wear dentures rather than saving a mouthful of perfectly healthy teeth that could also suffer from decay sooner or later.
Dentures are usually more affordable than repetitive visits to the dentist and a series of oral treatments. It is also why many Amish, including children, already wear dentures at such a young age.
An episode of the program Breaking Amish featured a young Amish woman in her early 20s named Rebecca.
She shocked viewers by removing a complete set of dentures from her mouth. According to her, all her teeth had been pulled out when she was only 19 years old.
After hearing her teeth-pulling story, a dentist in New York City gave Rebecca new dentures.
Rebecca’s statements, however, sparked some questions and doubts about the credibility of Breaking Amish.
While the cast’s connections and Rebecca’s baby’s father are still being questioned, different sources online have backed up Rebecca’s tooth extraction stories. The Amish dental care she mentioned in the program is accurate.
How Serious Are Dental Health Problems in Amish Children?
We were always taught how to care for our oral health as children. Of course, brushing and flossing our teeth regularly, avoiding sugary and acidic foods, and visiting the dentist at least twice a year are the most common tips we often hear from school and our homes.
How about the children in Amish communities where schools are different and modern dental care is almost inaccessible?
According to a recently published study among Amish children in a mobile dental unit in Geauga County, Ohio, Amish parents need more awareness about their children’s oral/dental health.
During the investigation, 87.7% of the Amish parents who participated regarded their children’s oral health as “very good,” even though more than 88% of the Amish children participants had untreated tooth decay.
It was also noted that only 33 percent of the Amish children participants had seen a dentist for the previous year, while 28 percent had not seen one at all.
In the same study, an Amish girl said, “Many Amish lost their teeth when they were young.” This idea could be one of the reasons why many Amish children and parents are not too worried and particular with oral health preventive care.
Do the Amish Have Dentists?
There are no licensed and certified healthcare professionals specializing in dentistry among the Amish people. The main reason is that there’s no stepping stone for any Amish person to become one since their community’s education is only up to the 8th grade.
To become a licensed and certified dentist, one has to complete a bachelor’s degree from a higher institution, take the Dental Admission Test, attend a dental school, pass the National Board Dental Examinations, and obtain a state license.
The Amish, for starters, oppose formal education after the eighth grade because they believe that high school education would expose Amish children to worldly influences that contradict the Amish faith.
Therefore, if an Amish person wants to be a professional and licensed dentist, he may need to leave the church, his family, and the Amish culture and life he grew up to.
Who are the “Amish Dentists”?
“Amish dentists” exist, whose primary job is pulling teeth with pliers and drills, often without any numbing agents. Some offer dentures, which they often outsource to trained molders within the community.
However, they don’t provide more complicated dental services, such as dental bonding, bridgework, dental crowns, root canal therapy, veneers, etc.
These Amish dentists are different from the licensed and certified modern dentists we are used to. However, because many Amish families prefer the inexpensive and quicker route, these local Amish dentists have become their best choice.
Amish dental care has been facing tons of controversies over the years. Some Amish dentists have faced legal problems, penalties, and even jail time due to their dentistry practice.
Therefore, you may not see one hanging a sign on their front door advertising dental services.
Even though the practice is illegal, especially in a non-Amish society, these Amish dentists are highly valued in many Amish communities. They generally receive donations in place of an official fee.
Conclusion
Like any other society, Amish people may seek professional dental care when necessary, since utilizing modern healthcare is allowed by their church.
However, some factors are always being considered by each Amish family – the costs, the accessibility, and even the severity of the dental problem.
As people who are used to avoiding complicated things in life, it is understandable if they choose a more convenient route – the local Amish dentists, for example.
While the approach to dental care can vary among Amish communities, pulling teeth is not a culturally-specific practice.
The Amish are a diverse group of people with different beliefs and practices. What happens to a specific Amish community doesn’t always happen to all Amish communities worldwide.