CHECK #3 Bayern

Community
ENGLISH
DISCRIMINATION
MAKES YOU SICK
HIV patients at the dentist
"I just don't want to admit that I let
myself be treated like that."
P. wants to remain anonymous: “Because not
everyone has to know that I am HIV positive.
Especially not after what I've experienced.”
In his early forties, he is successful in life
and looks after his health, if not excessively.
However, dental prophylaxis twice a year is
a must. What he didn't know is that for years
he was being discriminated against at his
dental practice, with fatal consequences for
his health. “I really felt at home there and the
team was also very nice to me. I never questioned
that prophylaxis was only ever done
on special days and after the end of the shift
because of my HIV status."
Dental prophylaxis is also known as professional
teeth cleaning and public health
insurance does not cover the costs of 75-130
Euros. Tooth surfaces, interdental spaces and
the gum pockets are cleaned as a precaution
to prevent cavities from spreading and
periodontitis, a bacterial inflammation of the
tooth bed. Yet despite the regular prophylaxis,
P. was all the more astonished when one day,
plagued by extreme toothache, he had to go to
an emergency dental clinic at night. The doctors
there shook their heads in horror during
the examination. Eight teeth were pitted with
tooth decay, and in places that were difficult
to reach: interdental spaces, on the inner side
and on the molars and wisdom teeth, partially
advanced to the root of the tooth. In addition,
an early stage periodontitis was diagnosed.
"My dentist and the nurse who did the prophylaxis
should have seen that. Why didn’t they
treat me properly?"
P. has not reported the incident to this day,
even if he had a good right to do so and could
possibly spare other patients a similarly
painful experience. “I just don't want to admit
that I allowed myself to be treated like that.
I take my HIV medication, so I'm not contagious.
There was never a reason to disinfect
the teeth cleaning equipment because of my
HIV status. In principle, it's a scandal. And I'm
incredibly embarrassed."
P. then had the difficult repairs to his teeth
carried out by a new dentist. The treatment
dragged on for months and cost him well over
1000 Euros for the fillings alone.
Illustration: flaticon.com
26 CHECK BAYERN #3