Football, football, football!

You cannot escape the passion and excitement shown by those supporting the football currently, and as I write this we are doing reasonably well so I am informed by those that have some understanding of it.

There are some however that are more sceptical of those professionals playing the game. Players are often regarded as excessively high earners who receive celebrity status and become role models for many despite not always behaving in a manner worthy of the adoration of fans both young and old.

There are also many who would regard these professional footballers as talented sportsmen, who are in the best of physical health, demonstrating fitness and endurance.

Let’s look a little further at their dental health. Recent research examined 187 footballers dental health. 37% of players examined had tooth decay, 80% had gingivitis and 5% had severs irreversible periodontal disease.

Thankfully as a result of this research dental screening is now to become mandatory for professional players. It has also been decided that more awareness is required to educate how poor oral health can impact overall health and sports performance.

Are these professional footballers any different to so many others? So many still do not connect dental health to their general health. Those professionals may look fit and healthy but the impact of what is going on in their mouths is will longer term have an impact. Conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease are all connected to oral health. Any infection in the mouth makes the body susceptible to other disorders, and can be so easily addressed with good oral hygiene and regular dental visits.

So we need the message to come from the sportsmen and women. If they can promote the importance of maintain a healthy mouth it may filter down to those that see them as heros, and benefit the next generation of rising stars

Short Term Orthodontics at Absolute Dental, Kingsbridge

Adult patients with crooked teeth are usually left in "cosmetic limbo" when they refuse conventional orthodontic treatment. The long time period usually associated with conventional orthodontics, combined with the appearance of metal brackets and wires, result in a low rate of uptake.  Short-term orthodontics, or STO, is an effective, conservative, and reasonable treatment option for adult patients with misaligned teeth. The basic mindset behind STO is to give adult patients smiles that are aesthetic, and to do it in a reasonable amount of time — around six months.

Two tried and tested options for STO are available at Absolute Dental are Six Month Smiles and Inman Aligner 

Here are some facts about Six Month Smiles: 

 

1.      6 Month Smiles braces work at a much quicker rate than traditional braces treatments, which can often take 2-3 years to accomplish the same cosmetic results.

2.      They are ideal for anyone who needs to straighten their teeth quickly in time for a particular event, such as a wedding.

3.      The tooth-coloured brackets and wires enable the procedure to be completed with the utmost subtlety and they are discreet at a social distance

4.      The cost of 6 Month Smiles is less than longer brace treatments because fewer visits to your dentist are required. 

So if you want to make a life enhancing change and achieve a more beautiful smile why not consider Short Term Orthodontics. 

Call us today on 01548 852165 for your initial consultation!

What is HPV and how does it relate to the health of your mouth?

What is HPV?

HPV is short for Human Papilloma Virus. HPV is a common virus that can spread easily through sexual contact. About 14 million people become infected annually. It is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK.

HPV is easily spread. Any genital contact with someone who has HPV puts you at risk - intercourse isn’t necessary

How does this relate to the health of my mouth?

HPV is a high risk factor for cancer of the mouth and throat.

The HPV type linked to throat cancer (including cancer of the oropharynx) is HPV16. Oral HPV infection is more common in men than in women and most people have no symptoms.

This is why; starting from your teen years, as part of your oral health assessment your dentist checks all the soft tissues of your mouth.

It’s a great idea to be vigilant at home too - using a mirror & good light (smart phone torch!) get used to how your mouth looks. Regularly check your mouth, throat and underneath your tongue at home weekly. If you spot anything unusual, even if it is painless - please call us so we can check it for you if it has not healed in 7 days.

What does the vaccine do?

The HPV vaccine can prevent many of the cancers caused by the HPV virus.

Not limited to mouth & throat cancer HPV causes cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers in women and penile cancer in men. Anal cancer and genital warts in both men & women.

Who is it for?

In the UK, the vaccine programme only provides the HPV vaccine Gardasil to pre-teen girls (ages 12-13) to provide protection before they become exposed to HPV. At this age the vaccine is also shown to provide a better immune response compared to older adolescents.

“Currently, Gardasil is given as a series of two injections within a 6-24month period. Girls who began their course of HPV vaccination before September 2014 receive three injections.”

In the USA “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine vaccination with GARDASIL for boys and girls ages 11 or 12. The CDC also recommends vaccination for young women ages 13 through 26 and young men ages 13 through 21 who have not already been vaccinated. The CDC states that GARDASIL can be given to young men ages 22 through 26, if they and their doctor decide it’s right for them.”

If you are a parent or teenager wanting to know more please visit:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pages/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine.aspx

http://www.gardasil.com

Christina.

Dental Implants at Absolute Dental - My Experience

I had only been training as a dental nurse for a matter of months when I was told that one of my remaining deciduous (baby) teeth had finally given up the ghost and needed to be extracted. I was aware that there was nothing underneath the tooth to replace it so of course, I immediately starting thinking about the options I would have to fill the space.

If you’re missing a tooth, you’ve got several options. The least advisable is to do nothing! It’s not just about aesthetics…Replacing a lost tooth is important to restoring maximum function, maintaining the alignment of surrounding teeth, and preserving facial contours.

Your pearly whites don’t just look pretty, they are important place holders for each other. Over time, those adjacent to a toothless gap can drift to fill the space and move out of alignment.  Additionally, tooth roots below the gums provide stimulation that the underlying jawbone needs to maintain its form and density.

Knowing this made my decision an easier one, the space needed filling with ideally an implant, but there was still the apprehension that came with that decision.

So, what is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a "root" device, made of titanium, used in dentistry to replace missing teeth by supporting restorations that resemble a tooth or group of teeth. Implants are placed into the jaw bone underneath the gum. When replacing a single tooth, a crown is fitted upon it, which will emerge from the gum line as the natural tooth would have done. Implants can also be used to replace multiple teeth by securely fixing a bridge or denture to them. In this case, one or more implants may need to be used.

 

 

Of course I had seen implants being placed, but when it is you undergoing the procedure, it’s a totally different experience.

Firstly the tooth was extracted, that was the worst part, and honestly, even that was fine and over in a matter of minutes.

Next was the implant placement. I walked into the surgery, knowing what equipment would be laid out and how everything would look, but I still felt very nervous. In the end the placement was an absolute breeze. I felt nothing. I had no pain afterwards like I was expecting and managed to eat dinner that evening with no problems at all. Mr John really was a magician, like so many of his patients had told him already, and now I understood why.

I then had to wait 3 months for the implant to heal before having the crown placed over the top. That was the exciting part, looking at my new tooth in the mirror. It looked great. I was so pleased. It felt a little strange to begin with but I quickly got used to it and enjoyed being able to eat on both sides again, and as I progressed in my training and learnt more about the effects the other space filling options could have had on my other teeth, I realised I had made the right decision.

I can safely say, if any of my friends or family were to ask me what they should replace any missing teeth with – I wold always advise an implant. It may be one of the more expensive options, but it is an option that will last.

Thank you Mr John for my new tooth.

Gemma

Geordies have the best kept smiles in the UK!

 

 

Geordies may not have had much to smile about over the last few weeks following their football team’s relegation from the Premier League, but during National Smile Month at least they can smile about their impressive tooth brushing habits.

 

Newcastle have topped a nationwide survey of cities that brush their teeth twice a day; with four out of five (81%) residents giving their teeth a good clean two times each day. One in ten (11%) said they brush once a day while 4% brush three times a day.

 

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation spoke about the results and is looking to remind people to prioritise their oral health: “Bushing our teeth at least twice a day is very important, as doing it only once means we are significantly more likely to develop tooth decay.

 

“When good fortune smiles upon the city of Newcastle again then the residents can all smile safe in the knowledge that they have some of the best maintained mouths in the country.

 

“Bushing for at least two minutes last thing at night and in at least one other occasion with fluoride toothpaste is a really one of the best and simplest ways for us to look after our oral health. It brushes away build-ups of plaque which, if not removed, can cause tooth decay and gum disease.

 

“It is important to remember to wait an hour after eating or drinking anything before brushing our teeth, as the acid formed when we eat sugary foods and drinks it softens the enamel and we may brush away particles of enamel which eventually leads to tooth erosion.”

 

The research was part of a wider look at the nations oral health habits by leading health charity the Oral Health Foundation in aid of National Smile Month.

 

National Smile Month 2016 is being supported by some of the nation’s best-known brands and retailers. Wrigley’s Extra, Oral-B as platinum sponsors of the campaign, with further support from Polo^® sugar-free and Philips Sonicare.

 

The poll discovered that Oxford (75%) and Southampton (75%) pushed Newcastle closely to the top spot; while bottom of the twice daily brushing league were Belfast (46%), Sheffield (51%) and Coventry (54%).

 

Nationwide, the findings were worrying, as only two thirds of people said they brush their teeth twice a day. Dramatically increasing their chances of developing tooth decay, with women being more likely to only brush once a day.

 

Dr Carter added: “As brushing our teeth only takes four minutes each day, it is deeply concerning that so many of us are neglecting the most basic way of preventing long term oral health problems.

“A good rule of thumb is to try and brush last thing at night and at least one other time during the day with a fluoride toothpaste. We should also visit the dentist regularly and cut down on how often we have sugary foods and drinks.

 

“Our smiles are very closely related to our confidence, attraction and success so it is very important that we make our oral health a priority.”