Tooth decay: Prevention is better than cure

28th October 2019 | Category: Uncategorised

, Tooth decay: Prevention is better than cure

You may be aware of the publicity around sugar and our health at present. More recently, the focus has been on tooth decay and children. Giving our children the best start in life is a responsibility all us adults share as health professionals and as parents. Prevention and education is a strong ethos within our dental practice.

Jamie Oliver was featured in his documentary ‘Jamie’s Sugar Rush’ (https://youtu.be/Oj9CRK26DIo). It is great to have the celebrity backing to this very important message of how sugar consumption is affecting the nation’s health. In one episode, Oliver highlighted the fact that 26,000 primary school-aged children were admitted to hospital due to tooth decay, with child tooth extractions costing the NHS around £30 million per year, the key cause being tooth decay.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation said: “The effects that sugar consumption is having on children’s dental health cannot be understated. Shockingly, a recent study found half of eight-year-olds have visible signs of decay on their teeth, and a third of children are starting school with obvious signs of tooth decay.”

“These figures are alarming but are unfortunately only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the effect sugar is having on dental health. More regularly we hear first-hand accounts from dental professionals about just how children are suffering due to sugar and this is being played out in every dental surgery across the country.”

“Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospitalisation in children, and whilst we cannot blame the food and drink industry entirely, they do have to take a sizable portion of the blame.”

At The White Bridge Dental Clinic we believe preventative measures are best tackled on a local level and preventative advice is best delivered on an individual personal basis. This is best done with your dentist who can assess your individual caries risk and provide a personalised preventative plan to match. There is a lot we can do to prevent tooth decay and this is listed below. We often find that preventative treatments are not given as much importance as treating dental disease once it has occurred and often not until symptoms begin. Together we need to overcome the obstacles that prevent our children from getting the preventative care they need to avoid pain and suffering. Make an appointment with your dentist and ask what can be done to improve your children’s (and our own) oral health.

During your dental examination, your caries risk should be assessed and a personalised preventative plan made accordingly.

Preventative plan can include

Oral hygiene advice. involves tooth brushing techniques through the ‘tell, show and do’ principal.

  • Dietary advice – where appropriate with the use of diet sheets so hidden sugars can be identified.
  • Fissure sealants- involves sealing the deep grooves on teeth, especially adult molar teeth, to protect them from tooth decay. Non-invasive and simple to do.
  • Fluoride Varnish application from 2 to 4 times per year (by the dentist/hygienist) depending on caries risk. Evidence shows a reduction in tooth caries by up to 70% with the use of Fluoride Varnish.
  • High fluoride toothpaste. Prescription toothpastes are available with up to 4 x more fluoride than the over counter toothpaste.
  • Regular examinations to identify caries early before pain and infection starts. This allows for simple treatment and avoiding extractions.

Speak to your dentist and find out what is recommended for you. Prevention is better than cure. Protection of both permanent and deciduous (baby or milk) teeth are equally important.

Why is it important to protect baby, ‘milk’, teeth?

  • Good practice for caring for the adult teeth. First adult molar teeth erupt at age 6.
  • Prevents tooth pain and infection.
  • Early extraction of baby teeth will lead to more crowding in the adult teeth. This will make orthodontic (teeth straightening) treatment more complicated.
  • Reduces dental anxiety when older.
  • Keeps a lovely bright toothy smile.

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We offer a wide range of dental treatments.

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140 Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 1DZ
01865 951861 info@thewhitebridgeclinic.co.uk
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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