Absolute Dental Sharing What Is In the News Today - Tooth Decay in Youngsters

 

Public Health England researchers checked the teeth of nearly 54,000 children at nurseries, children's centres and playgroup and found 12% of children had evidence of tooth decay. These youngsters had an average of three teeth that were decayed, missing or filled

In one area - Leicester - 34% of children had tooth decay whereas in others it was only 2%.

Researchers also said that some children had a particular type of decay known as early childhood caries. This affects the upper front teeth and spreads quickly to other teeth. It is linked to the consumption of sugary drinks in baby bottles or sipping cups.

 

 

PHE said that parents should give their children sugary foods and drinks in smaller quantities and less often. It also urged them not to add sugar to weaning foods or drinks.

Parents and carers should also start brushing children's  teeth as soon as the first tooth appeared and supervise their brushing until they the age of seven or eight, PHE said.

Sandra White, director of dental public health at PHE, said while there had been "significant improvements" in oral health over the years, the findings were worrying.

"Tooth decay is an entirely preventable disease which can be very painful and even result in a child having teeth removed under general anaesthetic, which is stressful for children and parents alike."

Dr Christopher Allen, of the British Dental Association, said: "Parents and carers may feel that giving sugar-sweetened drinks is comforting, but in reality it's more likely to cause pain and suffering as it is the major cause of tooth decay in toddlers. 

"It's never too soon to take your toddler to the dentist - ideally no later than 18 months - because dentists can identify and treat tooth decay at the earliest stage and advise parents on tooth brushing and prevention." 

With thanks to BBC News / Health 30 09 2014

Let Our Children Love Their Smile

A shocking statistic recently released shows that 500 British children are admitted to hospital every week, because of oral related health issues. Children have been seen by Dentists whose baby teeth are rotten to the stumps.

It is hard to believe how this is possible when children have access to FREE, twice yearly dental check-ups. Dental teams visit schools to educate and support oral health initiatives and we have more choice of toothbrushes and toothpaste than penny sweets.

This is part of the problem; sugary drinks, snacks and sweets fill children’s lunch boxes or are used as a reward or a method of calming a child’s mood. Sugar is the prime culprit of dental decay and the more we have sugar in between meals the worse it is for our teeth.

The figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) are alarming: 25,812 children aged five to nine were admitted to hospital for dental problems in 2013/14 – 14 per cent up on 2010/11.

It appears that this is not a new problem, 30 years ago there would have been far more extractions performed on children in dental clinics. Now for safety reasons they are carried out in hospital and the statisticians are able to monitor these types of admissions. How in the 21^st century can these numbers be so high, with so much access and exposure to oral health advice and support?

There are still families that share a toothbrush, do not provide fluoride toothpaste or monitor their child’s brushing regime. Simple preventative measures that will keep your child’s smile looking healthy, bright and fresh. Having a great smile and a healthy mouth can also prevent the development of other health issues as well as being your very best asset to looking good!

Bight Smiles, Bright Futures at Absolute Dental

This years Colgate Oral Health Month is call "Bright Smiles, Bright Future" and is an added opportunity to engage with children and their families about the importance of oral health and how it contributes to overall health, as part of their ongoing delivery of care.

With this in mind, we are launching a competition for our younger patients to write a story or draw us a picture that has a dental theme - what this means, is up to your imagination!!

Closing date for entries will be Sept 30th and these can be dropped in to the practice, posted to us or added to our timeline on Facebook.

The tale of the tooth.

One very fine morning a little girl named Alice woke up to the singing of the birds and the swaying of the trees. However as she crawled out of her bed she heard her mother Felicity and brother George fighting about George playing tennis inside. Alice was so busy trying to get a peaceful breakfast she didn’t see her brother throwing his hard ball directly at her face, as Alice turned around the ball hit her front tooth and her tooth instantly fell on the table “Mum” Alice screamed even though her mum was right next to her “I know Alice your tooth has come out” Felicity her mother said “I’m going to put it under my pillow” Alice declared feeling upset her mother had not taken too much interest in the incident.

Throughout the whole day Alice was talking about her tooth right up until bed time, she went to get her night clothes on and instantly ran to brush her teeth then checked her tooth was still lying under her pillow and it once she had confirmed it was safely there she fell asleep.

At midnight the tooth fairy Laila appeared into Alice’s room. Laila took the tooth then remembered she had left all the tooth fund money at the fairy pond. As she flew back over the river the fetch the fund the tooth fell out of her bag and landed at the top of the river. Just as the tooth splashed into the river there was an additional  wave from an Otter family swimming past that pushed the tooth downstream to another young girls house her name was Lucy. Lucy picked up the tooth and placed it under her pillow which tricked Laila the following night as she gave Lucy the money instead. Lucy woke up in the middle of the night  as she wanted to see if the money had replaced the tooth. She was delighted to find it had and so excited she had tricked the tooth fairy she got up and  ran outside and span round and round and got so dizzy that she fell and the money went straight into the river.

Laila luckily had been flying past and by this time she realised what had happened and that she had been tricked. With help from her friends she fished the money out from the river and managed to place it back under Alice’s pillow all ready for the following morning.

 

By Scarlett age 9

Oral Health Month at Absolute Dental

Colgate and the British Dental Association are partnering during September for Oral Health Month 2014 to raise awareness of the importance of oral health in children.

During Oral Health Month Colgate is re-launching its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ campaign in the UK. This campaign is already running in other countries around the world.

Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ programme targets improving the oral health of children globally through education and prevention and, since 1991, has helped educate 700 million children across 80 countries worldwide.

As part of the UK Campaign, Colgate is distributing 300,000 oral health packs to schools where teachers of five to seven year-old children can pass on the important message. These packs contain resources designed to help children understand the importance of good oral health from an early age, and build self-esteem and good oral health practises for a lifetime.

Dental practices like Absolute Dental also use this as an added opportunity to engage with children and their families about the importance of oral health and how it contributes to overall health, as part of their ongoing delivery of care.

Absolute Dental at The Kingsbridge Show

On Saturday Sept 6th, Kingsbridge Show is celebrating its 133rd year at Borough Farm just outside of Kingsbridge this weekend and hopes to be bigger and better than 2013's show which saw over 6,500 visitors attend. 

We are very keen supporters of the event are proud to be sponsors as the traditional local feel is still very apparent, with a clear link back to its original agricultural heritage.

The show continues to offer something for everyone - and so much to see and do - it's a great family day out whether you farm, ride or just want to see "a little piece of rural England" and enjoy the atmosphere.

There is plenty of free parking but for those of you wishing to be eco friendly or make use of the bar and locally produced goodies there will be a FREE tally ho bus running from Kingsbridge Quay.

So do not miss the chance to be part of this fun, traditional day out for just £8 per adult and £3 per child. Children under 5 go free!

Ice Bucket Challenge - Absolute Dental

With everyone taking part in the infamous "Ice Bucket Challenge" at the moment to raise funds for charity (and yes, most of us here at Absolute have done ours!) I wonder if it has highlighted any tooth sensitivity issues  that you weren't previously aware of? If you now dread sweet or acidic drinks, ice cream or even avoid hot tea or coffee you are not alone.

What Causes Sensitive Teeth?

One in seven adults experiences tooth hypersensitivity when they eat, drink or even take a breath of cold air. It can be an early warning sign of more serious dental problems. Fortunately there are many simple and effective treatments for this uncomfortable condition.

The most common cause of tooth sensitivity is when the dentine of the root of the tooth becomes exposed when gums recede. Acidic foods & drinks, gum infections and aggressive tooth-brushing are common causative factors. Grinding your teeth can also wear them leading to sensitivity.

What can you do at home?

• Use a sensitive toothpaste twice a day to brush your teeth. You can also rub it onto the sensitive areas. These toothpastes can take anything from a few days to a couple of weeks to work, so persevere. Remember to spit out any excess toothpaste, do not rinse your mouth after brushing as this washes the toothpaste and its effective elements away.
• Avoiding hot, cold, sweet or acidic drinks, or foods like ice cream can help. If you have sensitivity when brushing your teeth with cold water from the tap, use warm water instead. Not brushing your teeth regularly could make the problem worse.
• If you have tried these remedies for a few weeks and have had no improvement then book an appointment with Absolute Dental. Something more serious could be going on.

What can Absolute Dental do to help?

Fluoride gels, rinses or varnishes can be applied to sensitive teeth. These can be painted onto the teeth at regular appointments one or two weeks apart, to help build up protection. Other protective barriers may also be suitable. If in doubt, ask! Our team of dentists, hygienists and therapists are here to help you.