Hearts, minds and teeth in Afghanistan
April 16, 2009 | 12:16
pm
The U.S. military is hoping to win hearts and minds among villagers in Afghanistan by pulling their rotten teeth.
A task force in the Shindand district of the Herat province reports pulling more than 180 teeth. Toothpaste and toothbrushes were handed out -- a rarity in Afghanistan.
The Army reports one of the first patients to volunteer was Arbov Zacharia, a village elder. A U.S. dentist said that afterward Zacharia kept pointing to the extraction site and giving the thumbs-up sign.
"It's nice to know your work is appreciated," the dentist told the American Forces Press Service.
-- Tony Perry
Photo: An Afghan village elder getting decayed tooth pulled. Credit: U.S. Army
