As I write today the rain is pouring down ...summer holidays are almost over and its time to go back to school ... for some
At Absolute Dental we are perusing Journals and favourite Dental Websites to plan some education for ourselves ...
CPD
Continuing Professional Development is the means by which members of professional associations maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in their professional lives.
It is as a commitment to structured skills enhancement and personal or professional competence.
CPD should be engaging, informative and progressive, embracing 'best practice' and easily digestible knowledge. It should neither be excessively demanding nor uninteresting. It should stimulate a desire to learn more about the profession in which we participate
There is CPD for Hygienists , Dental Nurses , Practice Managers

What does it mean for an Absolute Dentist ?
A day or two immersed in discussions on the latest materials for Crowns and Fillings

New techniques and developments in the world of Implants or Tooth Whitening
Effective ways of communicating with our Dental Team and Patients

How to work closely with our Dental Technicians for fantastic results

An update on the best treatment for managing Periodontal Disease

All of this translates into allowing us to provide the great care that our own patients at Absolute Dental expect ...in a happy working environment
Equals personal satisfaction and a nice feeling that we are doing our best to be the best !!!

This is the last of the best of the International Symposium covering the latest in enamel therapy, sensitivity and allergies.

First, a question you may have asked yourself over the years. When your dentist or hygienist is looking at your teeth, how do they find decay? Some decay or caries as we call it can be seen between teeth on your dental x-rays. Where the tooth surface has been damaged by caries the x rays pass through the weaker part of the tooth giving a dark area on the x-ray. On the smooth surfaces when the decay is in its early stage and active, the tooth will appear as a dull white patch and feels rough to probing. If the decay has stopped, the surface will look shiny and feel smooth. We then need to look at two different aspects of caries, the first is why it occurred in the first place and secondly how we manage and prevent it from progressing. Diet is the key to why most caries occurs and as plaque is present on the tooth surface all the time, we have to look to the foods and drinks we eat and the timing of them. The tooth surface can repair from the minerals in saliva if it has enough time in between eating or drinking as it can take up to 45 minutes for this to occur. Managing the early caries apart from diet, is then down to either applying fluoride at home in the form of toothpastes or mouthrinses or even tooth mousse! In the surgery there have been recent developments in varnishes which can be applied in the surgery and they bind to the tooth surface and can also fill in defects on the enamel. One of the other problems patients encounter is sensitivity. About 75% of patients experience sensitivity and many think that sensitivity is normal. Personally there is nothing more disappointing than facing a very tasty looking ice cream and wondering if the taste will be worth the suffering! We should always investigate the causes of sensitivity as they can be very varied and may indicate either sensitive dentine or caries. When we see patients with sensitivity we need to find out the full history of where and when the sensitivity occurs and this helps to exclude caries. So after elimination of all other causes we can then consider home therapies including toothpastes and mouthwashes and tooth mousse. The latest toothpastes from Colgate and Sensodyne use Pro-Argin technology. This involves arginine, a substance already found in saliva, which mixes in with saliva and enters into the dentine tubules and blocks the open ends of the tubules. The advantage of these toothpastes is that they can be used as a cream and rubbed into the tooth surface but also as a toothpaste to be brushed with on a twice daily basis. Colgate have also brought out a sensitive toothbrush as well. In the surgery, we have a great variety of varnishes and high fluoride pastes we can apply to the tooth surface and Colgate have brought out a pro relief polishing paste which works well as an adjunct to the toothpaste and we can also use it before we commence scaling on patients who find this process uncomfortable. The last lecture of the conference centred on allergies. We have noticed an increase in allergies over the last few years and many of our patients present with a variety of allergies and some can be to food substances, antibiotics or preservatives. Sometimes we can develop an intolerance to a substance and sometimes it may be a full blown allergy and tends to be a very fast reaction. Some of the allergies we have to be particularly careful of in the surgery include latex. Its incredible when we look at the substances we use in the surgery and how they may affect patients. We carry a stock of latex free gloves in the surgeries and its always really helpful for patients to provide us with any details of allergies they may have. Some of the latest research has indicated that there may be a link between allergies and low birth weight and also if there has been a pattern of childhood infection and this may include Hepatitis A.

Toothpastes can also contain substances which patients have allergies to and this includes sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), which provides the foaming capacity in the toothpaste. Fortunately there are toothpastes which don't contain SLS and this includes some of the Sensodyne range.

Research has also been revealing a link with apthous ulcers relating to deficiencies in iron and folic acid and some of the food allergies relate to benzoates particularly E210-E219. All of the lectures I attended at this Symposium were very helpful to gain information and also confirmed many of the treatment regimes we already practice at Absolute Dental!

Pucker Up and kiss your health woes goodbye…

...everyone enjoys kissing, it may not be as effective as flossing and brushing but here are more reasons than ever to do it….
There are powerful proteins and protective bacteria in saliva that make it a natural antiseptic, when kissing excess saliva is produced, this helps neutralise acids which can cause decay, and washes away food particles and cavity inducing plaque that’s beginning to form. Some experts think that the mineral salts in saliva may help strengthen enamel giving you stronger chompers.
Kissing also prevents the formation of the stress hormones glucocorticoids that are responsible for high blood pressure. Regular kissing has been shown to lower blood pressure by maintaining and stabilising cardiovascular activity and lowers cholesterol by production of anti-oxidants.
Of course more than a good night kiss is needed to protect your teeth, keep up your daily dental hygiene regime, and always brush and floss before going to bed , since sleep slows the production of saliva.
No one to kiss????? Get saliva flowing by chewing sugar-free gum…..

Mwah
xx

Career Opportunity

Is there someone out there ready to move on in their career that would like to join the Absolute Team?

Are you motivated, enthusiastic and like to work as part of a team?
We are looking for an additional nurse, qualified or unqualified to join our team.

All training can be provided as we are an NEBDN accredited training centre

For more details contact Emma on 01548852165 or email emma@absolute-dental.co.uk

Step up to better oral health
Although September is National Smile Month, Absolute Dental reinforce the message of good oral health DAILY to all our patients.
We have adopted a policy of asking all our patients to bring in their toothbrushes to Hygienist or Oral Health Instruction appointments. This enables us to assess patients brushing techniques and modify as necessary so we know that patients are getting the best from their brushes to maintain their oral health in the best possible condition.
We also reinforce the importance of cleaning in between the teeth at least once a day, as brushing alone only covers 60% of the tooth surface, a staggering 40% is between the teeth.

By following these simple steps will help you maintain a healthier smile.

Brush twice a day
Change your toothbrush every 3 months or when it shows signs of wear
Clean in between the teeth at least once a day
Avoid sugary snacks between meals

Visit your dentist and hygienist regularly