By Maridol Ranoa-Bismark
Like most dentists, all he wanted was to look after people’s oral health, because neglecting it could lead to serious trouble.
“Our mouth is the dirtiest part of the body,” says Dr. Jose Odilon ‘Odi’ Aranton. It is where sore throat, stomatitis, gingivitis, tonsilitis, periodontitis, alveolitis, bronchitis and other diseases start.
Stopping these diseases on its tracks brought out Dr. Odi’s strong Good Samaritan ways. He was doing his share for his fellowmen. He felt happy.
Little did he know that fate had bigger plans for this CEU (Centro Escolar University) alumnus.
“You may or may not believe me,” the Bible-loving dentist begins as a way of telling you the story of what changed his life forever is that extraordinary.
One night in 1998, the formula for what he would name Oracur, appeared in his dream. Even the raw materials (garlic, peppermint, etc.) to manufacture the oral care product flashed in front of him.
and Kate Brios
When he woke up, Dr. Odi realized how blessed he was. He knew he just received a gift from God so he can serve others more. Otherwise, why would he, a non-chemist, see that formula flash before his eyes? Besides, he didn’t know a thing about marketing small consumable items like Oracur. Back then, Dr. Odi was into big dental supplies. He marketed equipment like dental chairs and materials from the US, Canada and Finland under DPSI Dentsply, from 1991 to 1994.
Dr. Odi went down on his knees, the way he would in moments of doubt. He reached out to his sister-in-law, a pharmacist for a big company in Marikina. She helped him apply the formula and look for glass ware to contain the product.
He focused on research and development and became the only Filipino inventor who came up with a product which fights fistula, gingivitis, periodontitis, alveolitis, stomatitis, pulpitis, toothache, cough, sore throat, bronchitis, Covid-19 and even oral cancer.
At first, Dr. Odi gave product samples to fellow dentists, who found out how effective they were, not only on themselves, but on their patients. Soon, the free sample requests became too many. Dr. Odi put his foot down.
He asked his colleagues, “How can I pay for the medicine if you don’t pay me?”
He leveraged on his training under Harvard professor Luke Chin, whom he fondly calls Daddy Ching, to promote Oracur in dental conventions. Word about the product spread like wildfire nationwide.
Certified naturopathic practitioner Melchor Rito of the wellness group Green Life Center for Alternative Medicine Inc. and Dentist II Mary Jean Bautista of the Marikina Municipal Health Office conducted clinical trials and Oracur passed the test. Forty four Covid-19 patients in a nearby hotel took it and were cured.
The Provincial Health Office of Batangas City conducted clinical trials on Oracur. Dr. Dionisio Burog, provincial oral health program coordinator, certified that the product brought instant relief from cough, sore throat and bronchitis on patients.
More good news awaited Dr.Odi when he filled his luggage with many bottles of Oracur and flew to Malaysia, and conducted clinical trials on the product. Research conducted at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, showed that Oracur was effective in curing diseases of the mouth.
“Buyers wanted to put up product centers in Malaysia after I had the product tested there. But I chose to keep quiet,” says the soft-spoken dentist.
He kept quiet even if San Francisco-based dentist Dr. Raymond Ramos, Dr. Josefina Villadolid of Quezon City, Dr. Andoque Villarama of the Mercedes Medical Clinic and Lying in Las Piñas, and Antipolo City dentist II Dr. Mary Joy Marquez Esguerra of the Antipolo City Health Office found the product effective. They even affixed their signatures, license and contact numbers on their endorsement.
So what kept Dr. Odi from developing his brainchild in the Philippines so he can help his kababayan before he even lend others a helping hand?
The sad but unsurprising answer is corruption. Dr. Odi says he had a hard time registering his product because he refused to pay a single centavo to bribe the government.
The product license expired in 2013. Dr.Odi first registered it 2008. End of story? Not quite.
Dr. Odi didn’t allow the challenges to stop him from seizing opportunities to help others through his product. After all, when typhoon Ondoy battered the country in 2009, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III appealed for help in behalf of typhoon victims. Dr. Odi called on Duque and presented his oral topical product, which proved effective in treating mouth sores among people in the evacuation center.
Dr. Odi also showed news clippings about the efficacy of his product. The government official didn’t waste time. He urged Dr. Odi to register Oracur.
But it wasn’t until July 30, 2020 that the product was finally registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As we all know, Covid-19 struck in 2019. So Dr. Odi looks at the renewed registration as a proof of God’s perfect timing.
Oracur, he claims, can treat Covid-19 because it clears the mouth of viruses and bacteria and keep them from reaching other parts of the body.
“Just spray it in the mouth every time your throat gets itchy, or when you feel other symptoms,” advises Dr. Odi.
This way, he adds, you won’t even need a vaccine to shield you from Covid-19 and its destructive effects.
Because the product was proven effective against Covid-19, emergency purchase requests for the product poured in. Government dentists from Iriga City in Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon, Legazpi City in Albay, Zambales, Antipolo City and Batangas City wrote PCSO Chair Anselmo Simeon Patrol Pinili to buy several bottles of Oracur.
Today, Dr. Odi looks beyond the fields of medical science and health in pushing Oracur even further. He has signed an agreement with the Aeta chieftain in Bamban, Tarlac, to lease a 2,000-hectare property in the area that will be planted to eucalyptus, one of Oracur’s main ingredients (the others are garlic and peppermint).
Aeta farmers will extract oil from the eucalyptus plant using a machine engineers from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will teach them to operate. Dr. Odi will buy the oil extracts to develop more Oracur products. He will also provide seedlings.
He’s looking forward to getting government funds from abroad to purchase the oil extracts.
“We not only provide livelihood to the indigenous people. We raise their self-esteem. At the same time, we are offering a means to reduce the effects of climate change,” says Dr. Odi.
This will allow him to lower the price of Oracur because the raw materials are sourced in the country, not abroad.
Dr. Odi has reason to feel upbeat because the Japanese are interested in manufacturing his product through a foundation. He is waiting for Duque’s final endorsement as well.
Dr. Odi won’t stop there. He’s eyeing the planting of eucalyptus in Bulacan and Pangasinan. He hopes to come up with other products, like an Oracur toothpaste, mouthwash and anti-aging products.
He is prepared to face detractors who want to bring him down and keep the product from taking off.
After all, he has waited for decades to fulfill his dream of a healthier future.
“I would have quit long ago if I was only after profit,” he admits.
But he’s after something much bigger—a legacy of health, disaster resilience and economic growth for future generations. This is idea of self -fulfillment, of sharing the talents God gave him.
This time, he won’t keep quiet anymore.
