Kenyans have always been curious about why having all your teeth is essential to getting recruited into the kenya defence forces (KDF). Lieutenant General Jonah Mwangi has answered that query.
While speaking on a citizen tv show, Lieutenant General Jonah Mwangi explained why several conditions, such as a lack of appropriate oral health and the presence of tattoos, have sparked debate among many recruits.
Mwangi emphasized that, while the military is somewhat forgiving regarding tooth structures and health, to some extent damage, one cannot be accepted because the forces require one to be physically and medically fit.
He claimed that because of regional considerations, recruitment officers occasionally overlook medium to low discolouration of teeth, but if the discolouration is severe, one is disqualified.
Allowing someone who does not satisfy the oral criteria risks a future dental accident, forcing a trainee to be hospitalized rather than participating in training.
"We look for three things in a recruit: you have to have the proper physical standards, be medically healthy, and have the right paperwork...We learned that there are parts in our country where the water contains fluoride, and as a result, there will be people with mild to severe tooth discolouration," he said
"The medic can look at it from low to medium... If you have extreme discoloration, it means you have a problem with your bone structure and are prone to oral accidents. If you have a dental accident, we will have to put you in the hospital instead of training, which is a disadvantage for you." he added.
