Oral Health

Many people think that brushing their teeth a couple of times a day is all they need to do to look after their teeth. They are wrong. Whilst tooth brushing is an important part of tooth care, there are other things that need to be done including flossing, visiting the dentist regularly and adopting a healthy diet.

The importance of this last point may have escaped many, but snacking on sugary foods and drinks is a leading cause of tooth decay, besides contributing to the risk of developing diabetes and obesity. We are surrounded by negative influences, for example advertising, that encourages unhealthy snacking, and with more disposable income, sugary foods and sweets are ever more affordable.

Having bacteria in your mouth is normal. Brushing will remove some of the bacteria from your teeth and gums, but not all. After brushing bacteria will build up as the day progresses and multiply to form a soft sticky layer called plaque. Plaque causes tooth decay by using the sugar in food and drinks to produce acids that attack the teeth. The saliva in your mouth is able to neutralise these acids between normal meal times, but cannot cope with the additional attacks caused by snacking. The decay will result in holes appearing in your teeth, and the need for fillings. Left untreated, these holes will grow and can lead to infection and pain and the need for more extensive, and expensive treatment. In the worst cases, you will lose teeth.

The advent of the vending machine, and the selling of sugary foods and drinks in the workplace, in educational environments, in clubs and youth facilities and even within sporting and health environments has only increased unhealthy snacking. Perhaps organisations should take a harder look at themselves and consider the health implications of products they are selling, or allowing to be sold or distributed. It is only today that schools, that haven’t done so already, are finally being made to remove the vending machines that sell this type of product.

Safer snacking

If you must have a snack, go for breads, savoury muffins and bagels, cheese and crackers, unsweetened popcorn, plain yoghurt or crisps. With drinks, have tea or coffee without sugar, or plain water. Drinking plenty of water is good for you and adds more volume to your diet.

How can you best look after your teeth?

Having healthy teeth and gums doesn’t mean having to miss out on sugar altogether, just keep it to mealtimes and there is no reason why you cannot enjoy chocolate, biscuits, cakes and even sweets - but have them at meal times.

With young people, parents need to get them to see the point of choosing to look after their teeth, avoiding tooth decay, pain, smelly breath and unpleasant trips to the dentist. Encourage them instead to develop habits that will lead to them having nice smiles, breath confidence and being infinitely more kissable!

Worryingly, new cases are increasing and despite improved treatments, mortality rates are about 50%. The low survival rate is often due to late detection and the disease then being more difficult to treat. Late detection of the disease can also result in treatments that are debilitating and disfiguring.

If mouth cancer is diagnosed in its early stages however, it can respond well to treatment and the chances of a complete cure are good. The number of deaths could be greatly reduced if people were more aware of the symptoms, or if dentists were able to examine more of the population on a regular basis. Recent research suggests that 20% of people in the south are not accessing dental care on a regular basis.

Early signs of mouth cancer can be a non-healing mouth ulcer or a red or white patch in the mouth. People should visit a dentist as soon as possible if they have a mouth ulcer that hasn’t healed after three weeks, or if they notice any unusual changes or discolorations in their mouth.

Oral cancer can occur in any part of the mouth, including the tongue, gums, lips and throat, and cancers can also occur at other sites located in the face, head and neck area. It is most common in men over 40 who both smoke and drink alcohol and is twice as likely to strike men as women. Heavy drinkers and smokers carry 38 times the risk of people who do neither. An increasing number of women and younger people are being affected however, with none of the usual associated risk factors.

Early detection is a crucial factor to successful treatment. Dentists are in a unique position to detect early signs and are specially trained in what to look for. During routine dental check-ups, your dentist should check your mouth, including your tongue, gums and lips, but also your face, head and neck for signs of cancer. They may spot something you haven’t noticed, so regular dental check-ups are important.

Over the last three years at Poundbury Dental Practice, we have had cause to refer a number of our patients to Dorset County Hospital, and this resulted in successful treatment where it was proved necessary. Although we view this as part of our normal role, we recognise that we may also have helped to save someone’s life - and there is no finer motivator to ensuring we continue to maintain the highest standards and thoroughly check our patient’s for early signs of oral cancer.

Things people can do to protect themselves against mouth cancer:

· Stop smoking. Smoking is the major cause of mouth cancer and switching to low-tar cigarettes makes no difference.

· Do not drink large amounts of alcohol as this poses almost as big a risk as smoking.

· People who both smoke and drink heavily are up to 38 times more likely to develop the condition.

· Go and see a dentist if a mouth ulcer or a white or red patch in your mouth does not clear after three weeks.

Oral Health Education: what is the point?

Safer snacking

How can you best look after your teeth?

Things people can do to protect themselves against mouth cancer: