Most U Want Dental Lab Supplies

The 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey found the proportion of adults in England with visible decay has fallen by a fifth since the last survey in 1998.

The change in Northern Ireland was found to be similar, declining by almost a quarter, however, there has been a small increase in Wales of two percent – Scotland did not take part in the survey.

The survey also showed the proportion of adults who had no natural teeth has also fallen in the last 30 years, by almost a quarter in England and by more than a third in Northern Ireland and Wales.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, was pleased by the results and said they show that people, now more than ever, care about their oral health.

Dr Carter said: “These latest figures only go to confirm the progress which has been made in regards to the improving standards of oral health here in the UK. We have suspected this to be true for a while now and it is certainly pleasing to finally see this indeed to be the case.

“It is encouraging to see, that in most cases, the number of adults who are edentate has dramatically fallen, the decay rate is lower and the number of natural teeth has risen.

“Over the last few years, there has been a real demand for and interest in dentistry, from the media, the trade and profession, financial investors and, most importantly of all, the patients and public themselves.

“This is not a surprise of course. There has been a near constant influx of new ideas, improved techniques and more advanced materials in recent times and now even the definition of what actually constitutes dentistry appears to be evolving at pace.”

The survey – which takes place every ten years – is a ‘snapshot’ of dental health across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Around 6,500 adults across the three nations had their teeth examined as part of the survey.

The research was carried out by a consortium led by the Office for National Statistics and set out to investigate attitudes to dental hygiene and treatment and to find out how healthy the public’s teeth really are. Despite much of the good news, there were still one or two areas for concern however.

Dr Carter added: “We now know that less than two-thirds of us go to the dentists regularly. Despite this figure improving in all three countries from the first survey in 1968, we still need this to improve.

“Regular dental visits are vital in order to maintain good levels of oral health. The 27 percent who claimed to only visit their dentist when they experienced a problem with their mouths could have prevented potentially problematic treatments and unnecessary financial expense by attending regular dental check-ups.” The survey also presented another hurdle that still faces dentistry. Nearly one in five women – and one in ten men – still suffer ‘extreme dental anxiety’ before they even sit in the dentist’s chair.

Commenting on the preliminary findings from the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) published recently, the British Dental Association has given a positive reception to the continuing improvements seen in adults’ oral health. The report shows that adults are retaining at least some of their natural teeth later into life. Additionally, the report found that 86 per cent of adults had 21 or more natural teeth. In 1978, this was the case for only 74 per cent of adults.

The BDA’s Scientific Adviser, Professor Damien Walmsley, said:

“This survey confirms that the condition of people’s teeth overall has got much better since this survey was first carried out. Fluoride toothpaste, greater awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and regular visits to the dentist have all undoubtedly contributed to the better dental health we see in adults today.

“While the growing number of patients retaining more of their teeth into later life is, of course, excellent news, this improvement brings its own challenges. The way that teeth are cared for will need to evolve to ensure that these challenges are met.”

The report also confirms the relationship between low socio-economic status and poorer oral health. Professor Walmsley continued:

“Depressingly, this report also confirms what we know about the strong link between social deprivation and poor oral health. Addressing this must be a priority for the UK’s governments.”

Trick or treating may be great fun, and it can be just a lot of fun if certain precautions to protect teeth are taken, say various dental organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. If left unsupervised and without proper guidance and advice, most children will return home after an evening of trick-or-treating with a bag full of sugar-laden goodies which will be stashed away and last a long time. Left to their own devices, there is a good chance children’s teeth will be exposed to hours of sticky sweetness as they munch their way through sweets, candy, chocolates and who-knows-what. Apparently, according to the British Dental Health Foundation, it is better for children’s teeth if they eat all their treats in one go rather than coming back to them every hour or so – they are not recommending that children gorge themselves silly, but rather commenting the pros and cons of the two alternatives.

Dr. Nigel Carter, CEO, British Dental Health Foundation, said:

We want children to enjoy themselves at Halloween. The trick is to find a middle ground – not to gorge on sweets for hours.

It is important to explain to children that moderation is the key. They must be reminded to keep up their good dental hygiene practices.

Dr. Carter explained:

It’s OK to have the odd sugary treat on a special occasion as long as children keep up their regular dental health routine. On a daily basis, it is important that children have a healthy balanced diet, with five portions of fruit and vegetables. This combined with a good dental cleaning routine with fluoride toothpaste will help protect the teeth against conditions such as tooth decay and gum disease.

Each time a sugary food or drink is consumed the sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque (the sticky coating on the teeth) and produces harmful acids. These acids attack the teeth and dissolve the protective enamel coating on the teeth, which after many such attacks can lead to a cavity (a hole) forming in the tooth and eventually a need for a filling or extraction – something every parent would want their child to avoid.

The key thing for parents to remember is that it is how often sugar is consumed, rather than how much sugar, which affects the chance of decay. It takes the saliva in the mouth up to an hour to neutralise the acid. This means every time sugary foods or drinks are consumed, the teeth are under attack for an hour. If children are constantly snacking on sweet foods, their teeth never have a chance to recover completely.

That is why The Foundation recommends that children’s sugar consumption be limited to a maximum of three meals and two snacks daily. Extra saliva is produced during mealtimes, saliva helps rinse away sugar and harmful bacteria – so whenever possible, try to include your child’s sweet treats during mealtimes.

Swapping sweet things for savory, such as potato chips (UK: crisps) won’t reduce the risk of tooth decay because they also create an acid environment. Acid environments inside your mouth increase the risk of cavities.