×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Smart Minds Choose Us
★★★★ - on Play Store
Read on the App

When the teeth in your mouth bite your tongue

The teeth in your mouth may bite your tongue; unusual but arrives in the company of immense pain. Kenya has been diagnosed with this plague.

African culture associates many things to the human tooth. The Yoruba associate healthy teeth with beauty. It requires magic to resist the mbanya on a well fed Acholi beauty. In their initiation festivals, Luos observed nago lak with wild celebrations. If the tooth did not inspire a proverb in the Zululand, it delivered a riddle in the hunting Khoikhoi. Just like seers and midwives, there were renowned dentists in our clans. In Kenya, the government trains and certifies dentists. This is not a profession for everyone yet all of us carry the specimen.

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week
Uncover the stories others won’t tell. Subscribe now for exclusive access
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimized reading experience
  • Weekly Newsletters
  • MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted
Already a subscriber? Log in