Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As little as five years ago, it was extraordinarily common to encounter local people with
stained, damaged teeth and breath that would knock you flat, but within just a few years
there seems to have been a huge shift in culture toward oral hygiene. Supermarkets are
stocked with every imaginable variety of toothpaste and breath freshener, and services and
standards at dental clinics have improved and now cover everything from standard clean-
ings to cosmetic dentistry.
For general services, such as cleanings and fillings, prices are relatively digestible,
even if you don't have insurance, and sometimes there isn't a huge difference between
the reputable local clinics and the international ones. Cleaning, for example, will cost
around RMB300-500 in both styles of clinics, while a single filling will set you back by
RMB250-750 at a local clinic and by RMB600-1,500 at an international one. If it's your
first visit to a clinic, an initial checkup fee may also be charged, ranging RMB50-200. Some
of the larger local clinics, such as SDM Dental, Arrail Dental Clinic, and Joinway, may not
always have English-speaking dentists, but there is usually someone there in the clinic who
can translate.
On a day-to-day basis, you won't really need to adjust your habits too much. Dental hy-
gienist and educator Pat Christie at IDC Dental recommends keeping a regular schedule for
checkups, just as you would in your home country. On top of this, she suggests brushing
at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. “Beijing's water isn't fluoridated, so you'll
benefit from any additional fluoride, including mouth rinses with fluoride. Fluoride boosts
your teeth's resistance to decay, which is very important if you want to limit your dental
visits while living here.”
Finally, given the city's dryness, you may be inclined to drink more than usual. You
should, however, avoid quenching your thirst with sugary drinks, Pat says. “Bottled tea and
fruit juice are heavily consumed by the local population, but your dental health will benefit
if you can avoid them. Brush as soon as possible after any sugar exposure.”
Living in Beijing without any form of insurance really is taking a gamble. These days med-
ical costs are basically on par with those in the United States, and should anything serious
happen to you, you may find yourself struggling to recover from more than just the illness.
