Absolute bullying

A new study shows that there is a clear link between being bullied and the presence of "sticking out teeth" or malocclusion.
A team of hospital based clinicians who primarily treat children with malocclusion have conducted a UK based study investigating the relationship between being bullied and the presence of malocclusion, and its effects on an individual's self-esteem and "oral health related quality of life". Three hundred and thirty six adolescents aged between 10-14 years of age took part in this study.
13% of adolescents aged between 10-14 years examined for orthodontic treatment had been bullied; being bullied is significantly associated with "sticking out teeth".

A website has been created to provide advice for both parents and adolescents who are being bullied https://sites.google.com/site/bullyingandorthodontics

Saliva Testing

This was one of the most informative and interactive workshops I have ever had and I found out a lot more about my saliva and what it can tell us.
The test looked at several aspects of saliva.
1. How fast saliva is produced.
2. The texture of saliva, is it frothy, does it form a pool in the mouth or is it very sticky.
3. What the pH of saliva is. Is it acidic, neutral or alkaline.
4. We also tested the composition of saliva to find out what the percentage of calcium, phosphate and bicarbonate of soda was as this affects the buffering capacity from acidity (where decay and erosion can occur) to alkaline.
The aspects of the speed and texture all relate to our normal saliva output and could be an indication of dehydration. This can also be caused by the side effects of some medication. When saliva is reduced, plaque accumulation increases and there is less chance of saliva washing away food particles, therefore, increasing risk of caries
The composition and pH relate to the constituents of saliva and having good buffering against acids. This becomes particularly important for patients who naturally have a low pH as they may be at risk from acid erosion as well as decay. The good news is that many of our toothpastes now contain bicarbonate of soda and this helps to address the balance of the mouth back to neutral or alkaline.
One of the most valuable food substances we have to help combat them is Xylitol. This is derived from the bark of birch trees and is used as an artificial sweetener. One of the amazing features of this is that when the bacteria ingest the xylitol, they cannot digest it and release acid and it kills them off by using up their energy store !!! Brilliant!!! and it also blocks the messages from the fibrils so the bacteria slide off the tooth surface.
In wound healing, particularly large surface ulcers, research has shown that a combination of xylitol and lactoferrin are particularly effective and even large skin wounds have healed within 6 weeks of treatment of a spray with these two constituents. This regime has also been used to effectively treat ear problems.

Xylitol can be found in a multitude of products particularly in chewing gums and in granulated form to be used instead of sugar. There are also nasal sprays to help patients combat sinusitis.

Research has shown that 5 exposures to Xylitol per day is particularly effective in plaque control and also provides us with an excellent vehicle for stimulating the production of saliva.

Saliva testing can also identify early or mature plaque presence so this can also provide us with another excellent chairside assessment. You can find more information about the links between your general health and your dental health on our current Newsletter and we all look forward to helping keep you healthy in 2012!!

Maureen

Absolute Poison

Yes it's that time of year again when we all make those New Years resolutions; to quit smoking, to get fit and generally aim to be healthier.

Quitting smoking could be the best thing you could do, not just for your general well being but also the health of your teeth, gums and lining of the mouth.

Smokers make up 50% of people with gum disease in the world because of the close proximity of the gums to the smoke.
Apart from the obvious tooth discoloration, staining and bad breath, there is a lot more permanent damage happening in a smokers mouth.
Prolonged exposure to smoke can lead to a very high risk of the jaw bone and support structure of the teeth being eaten away, which in turn leads to premature tooth loss.
Once the toxic substances in cigarette smoke affect the gums and causes inflammation, the whole mouth becomes compromised by bacteria and a lot more vulnerable to tooth decay and serious infections.
Smoking slows down the healing process because the blood flow in the gums has been restricted which means that the mouth does not recover well after orthodontic or dental surgery.
Oral health is greatly compromised by smoking; even with regular visits to the dentist and hygienist and thorough daily cleaning routine, a smoker’s dental hygiene will always be poor. This is more relevant than ever now that research shows the tight link between heart problems, strokes and gum disease.
If that is not enough to scare smokers into kicking the habit, frightening figures show that mouth cancer rates are rising every year. It is largely a lifestyle disease, meaning that 90% of sufferers are tobacco users.
One of the best preventative measures is to stop smoking; people who stop using tobacco, even after many years of use, can greatly reduce their risks of all smoking related illnesses including oral cancer.
There is now more advice and information on smoking cessation than has ever been available before, from several help lines to local support groups and free nicotine replacement therapy. So smokers, now that we know there is nothing remotely positive about smoking, you know what to do… and we know you can do it!

For further information and advice you can contact the NHS stop smoking helpline on 0800 028 0553 or call your local NHS stop smoking service:- Plymouth – 01752 314040 Torbay Care Trust – 01803 299160. wiseupandquit.co.uk

Melanie