Turn the tap off!

There are stories all over the news currently concerned with the water shortage in South Eat England after two dry winters in a row left reservoirs dangerously low and fish dying in rivers.

The Anglia region was already in drought, meaning more than half of the population of the UK faces hosepipe bans in a matter of weeks.

There could even be restrictions in London - part of the South East region - where thousands of litres more water will be needed because of the Olympics.

It is expected that most of the Midlands, including the area around Birmingham, could be declared in drought within the next few weeks.

Water consumption in the UK is up 30 per cent per person since 1970 and it is feared that if the trend isn’t reversed there will come a time when the demand just won’t be able to be met.

This will have a devastating effect on the UK’s rivers, lakes and stream levels, animal and plant life so this year for the first time the National Smile Month Campaign is promoting responsible water use.

The campaign aims to encourage adults and children to turn off the tap when brushing their teeth and save up to 12 litres of water, every time. So far Save Water Save Money and 19 of the UK’s Water Companies have joined forces to encourage water efficiency, by raising awareness of the high levels of water wasted in the bathroom.

Currently, 25 per cent of household energy is spent heating up water and according to Waterwise, if every adult in England and Wales turned off the tap when brushing their teeth, it could save enough water to supply nearly 500,000 homes or fill 180 Olympic swimming pools – every day!

Happy Valenties Day!

Valentines Day is here once again - how do you plan to celebrate? A meal out, flowers for your loved one, jewellery, chocolates or a night away? We've been spoilt for choice with shops and supermarkets competing for our attention with attractively packaged goods for those we love, some trying to attract our attention as soon as Christmas was over! So, no excuses, I hope you're all prepared with gifts and cards at the ready...??

Do your preparations include spending time on preparing yourself? Is your smile as bright and white as you'd like? Is your breath as fresh as you'd like? Nothing is guaranteed to spoil that romantic moment more than bad breath - so don't let it stop you getting close to that special someone today!

An Oral B Healthier Teeth survey in 2011 revealed that 66% of people surveyed would never go on a date with someone with bad breath; and 58% said they would never go on a date with someone with visible dental problems such as tooth decay or swollen gums. So, dental problems could be a real passion killer in some cases....but don't despair, most of these common problems can be solved.

First we must understand what is causing such dental problems, and then we can begin to work on a solution. Bad breath or halitosis can have many causes. While bad breath is commonly caused by dental problems such as infection, poorly placed fillings or ill fitting dentures, there are other common causes such as; gum disease; a diet rich in certain foods, e.g., garlic & spices; poor oral hygiene – which means food particles are allowed to collect between teeth and around the gums; these deposits attract the bad breath causing bacteria; a lack of saliva (or "Dry Mouth") which can be caused by certain medications and hormonal changes; and finally, smoking.

There are other less common causes such as diabetes and digestive system problems, but your dentist and hygienist can help you with the more common causes listed above.

Causes are looked at on an individual basis, but if the cause is found to be crowded teeth causing food to become trapped, then it may be wise to consider orthodontic treatment to remove these "stagnation areas".

However, the simplest, easiest and most cost effective way would be to adopt a thorough, sound, effective oral hygiene routine, based on trying to remove all of the plaque, from every surface of every tooth, every day. This would involve brushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing all the areas between the teeth. Our hygienists will be able to help with the skills and techniques that you require to be able to do this. This will also lead to a reduction in the likelihood of tooth decay and can also brighten your smile. Once you have mastered your new oral hygiene regime, it might be time to consider tooth whitening to brighten your smile even further.

With regular, thorough Dental Health Assessments, it is possible to maintain the health of your mouth together with identifying the cause of bad breath and treating the problem accordingly.

Say Cheese

I was reading in my running magazine this month (sometimes it's as close as I like to get to actually running!) that cheese is less unhealthy for you than butter when it comes to heart health. Apparently the University of Michigan carried out a study in which a group of people had a daily serving of cheese for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks they were tested and their cholesterol levels were lower than when they had spent a comparable time eating a comparable amount of butter. So, it would appear that a little bit of something "bad" really could be good for you!!!

We already know that there are strong links between heart health and dental health, and indeed, we know that cheese can also be good for our dental health. A small amount of cheese to end a meal can neutralise the harmful plaque acids that can lead to tooth decay; this is because of the milk proteins that cheese contains.

In fact, these milk proteins can be so beneficial that they are contained in a product called Tooth Mousse which is particularly beneficial for patients whose own saliva naturally lacks bicarbonate of soda meaning that their saliva does not have the same buffering action to cleanse and protect our teeth.

Our team of dentists and hygienists are more than happy to discuss "Healthy Snacks" with you and will always recommend any aids to your oral hygiene routine that will benefit your dental health - just ask one of the team next time your in!

Diane

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

absolute merry christmas

Absolute Dental would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

2011 has been a very exciting year, with the introduction of Inman Aligner, a quick and effective way to re-align teeth and Sleepwell, the solution to snoring problems. Also with the continued success of the Absolute Dental Nurse training course run by Diane resulting in a great pass rate for the students sitting their National Diploma in Dental Nursing exams.

We close on Friday December 23rd, but will be open again on Wednesday 28th, Thursday 29th and Friday 30th December, so if you need us, please give us a call and we will be more than happy to see you.

From the Team at Absolute