Will eating dairy products protect your teeth and gums?

There is currently research being conducted in Japan to analyse the effect of lactic acid on the health of teeth and gums. The studies have been carried out to gain a clearer understanding of the specific effects that diet will have on dental health. Food groups, namely dairy, are being analysed in closed conditions. Things like milk, yogurt, cream and cheese are a common part of many people's diet, especially in the West and this research is testing the premise that Lactic acid will promote the growth of Lactobacillus bacteria and the consequent probiotic effect will reduce gum disease. The results of 950 test cases showed that people who consumed 55 grams or more of yogurt a day tended to suffer less from periodontal disease (gum disease). Consumption of milk and cheese seemed to have less effect on the results. There was also evidence to suggest that green tea will aid in reducing the risk of gum disease as the antioxidants present will stave off the threat.
It also seems that a high intake of vitamin C can help to reduce the risk of periodontal disease, suggesting that a diet of fruit and vegetables will be healthier for your teeth and gums that previously thought.

U.S Dental reforms

Healthcare reform bill will improve children's dental care

Representatives from America’s biggest benefit provider, Delta Dental, have welcomed the passing of President Obama’s ‘Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’.

The bill will dramatically change the structure of dental care for children and will provide a much more level playing field in terms of accessing affordable oral health care. Delta Dental’s president, Kim Volk said the new measures will mean that millions of children will receive the care they desperately need and have been missing out on up to this point because they don’t have insurance.

The new bill will recognise dental health as an integral component of general health and paediatric dental care will be provided by state insurance programmes but parents will still have the option of using independent providers if they wish to go down that route.

Currently, millions of children are missing out on even the most basic dental care, as they do not have insurance policies and cannot afford treatment. Many rely on free dental clinics, but these are often over-subscribed, so treatment cannot be guaranteed.

The new dental health measures have been included in the essential package that has been designed to come into play in 2014. President Obama is also planning to launch a much more comprehensive range of preventive measures, which will encourage parents and teachers to teach their children about good oral health from a young age and will offer children treatments, such as fluoride treatments and sealant programmes, which will help to protect their teeth and make them more resistant to decay. Preventive dentistry could save the government millions of dollars in the long-run, as well as improving national standards of dental health. (Source:Cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk)

Advancements in Gene therapy to help Dental procedures

Gene therapy is a fairly common notion for many of us, and has been since the start of the last century. It would seem then that we have been somewhat slow on the uptake when applying the theoretical notions to practical science. One would think that most educated members of society would want to see us retaining the option to treat disease, if we so choose. Early in our conception of this treatment it was viewed as Science fiction and the terrible consequences to society were outlined in books such as Huxley's 'Brave new world', where we see a society which 'grows' its progeny and treats what we see as normal human interaction as something animalistic and abhorrent. However, in recent years we have certainly begun to see what benefits a better understanding of genetics and gene therapy will have to medical science. We must try to get away from the pseudo-religious notion that we should not 'mess with God', an understanding of society which belongs to the sixteenth rather than twenty first century. The campaign of blocking progress to Stem cell research perpetrated by the Bush Administration in the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries has halted the progress of understanding. This type of regressive ideological politicism is anathematic to the development of a more balanced and understanding society.

In dentistry gene therapy has the potential to create vastly superior new treatments and aid in giving the best possible care to patients. For example the ability to use Stem cells in helping the growth of gum cells, hence being able to treat damaged gums will have many medical benefits not least in the fight against heart problems, where often those with Gum disease are hugely more at risk from suffering heart disease due to the migration of bacteria from the gums to the heart, carried in the blood. Other methods employed to aid in the regrowth of tissue and understanding of complex molecular synthesis will have huge benefits to everyone in the future.

Veneers

Veneers are usually made of porcelain to create shiny and white teeth. This is a treatment which is recommended for people with tooth discoloration or heavy staining problems. This dental procedure is not too invasive and could also correct damage caused to teeth due to other causes. In many ways the addition of veneers can change the way your teeth look and can help you create a positive effect on the visible appearance of your teeth.

National Orthodontic week

At the end of the national orthodontic week there has been much talk about how the UK is starting to fall behind the rest of Europe in public orthodontic options and how well patients are catered for with dental treatments. There has been a decline in funding and this has opened up gaps in the market which are being competently filled by inexpensive surgeries in Hungary and other European countries.

BOS Chairman, Nigel Harradine, speaking at the opening, said: ‘There is not enough knowledge about orthodontics and healthcare has an increasing need to be properly understood.

'There have been great advances in orthodontic technology. We have top-quality research and clinicians in the UK, however, there is a shortage of orthodontists. This is less than Hungary, Poland, Ireland and Italy. There are waiting lists of up to three years for those with a quantified significant need for treatment.'

Press reports on growing trend

'My dental treatment would have cost me £37,500, so I went to Hungary and saved £21,000'

Premium Article !

Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.

Options

Premium Article !

To read this article in full you must have registered and have a Premium Content Subscription with the n/a site.

Subscribe

Registered Article !

To read this article in full you must be registered with the site.

Sign In

Register

With the country's NHS dental treatment facing crisis, dentists in Hungary and Poland are increasingly being called on to put a smile on people's faces. John Hayes reports on the rise of dental tourism.

For some, a trip to the dentist is about as welcome as a wet and windy weekend in Scarborough. For others, it's as good as a holiday.
As Yorkshire's NHS dental crisis deepens, a growing number of people are entrusting their teeth and gums to foreign dentists who can offer great, cost-effective results. (Source: Yorkshire Post)

Britain's dental tourists are being sold up the Danube

How much more exotic to have a Hungarian crown, or a Franz Josef as they are known

Brian Viner

Apparently, increasing numbers of Britons are travelling to Hungary for private dental care, sold down the river by rising costs here, and forced up the Danube by cheap treatment there. One surgery in Budapest is even advertising "teeth holidays", a package - I prefer "plaqueage" - including return flights, discounted hotel rooms and cut-price cavity work.
It is an irresistible concept; a bunch of Brits with varying degrees of tooth decay, being offered pink mouthwash on the plane, and emerging into the arrivals hall at Ferihegy Airport to look for their rep, the guy with the white coat and the reassuring manner.

One man with gum disease who took advantage of the offer had been quoted £15,000 for bridgework by his dentist in England. He said of his trip to Budapest: "One good thing about it is that you are with other toothless people over there. We all went round the city with no teeth and had a good time." It must have been handy that the culinary pleasures of Hungary, such as sour cherry soup and stuffed cabbage, are perfectly compatible with missing molars. If the English are considered by the Americans to have poor teeth, imagine what the Hungarians must think.

Why Budapest, though, as opposed to Prague, say, or Kiev, the story didn't entirely make clear. But dental care there is certainly cheap. Crowns cost up to £950 in Britain, but only £180 in Hungary, and how much more exotic to have a Hungarian crown, or a Franz Josef as they are doubtless known in the trade. (Source: The Independent.co.uk)

Destination Hungary

Hungary is a beautiful country dedicated to protecting it's vast array of natural wonders. this means that fantastic spas and beautiful river scenes are an ever-present part of the scenery. The country is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world (Lake Heviz), the largest lake in Central Europe (Lake Balaton), and the largest natural grasslands in Europe (Hortobágy). Space and scenery are not exactly hard to enjoy and Hungary was until recently listed amongst the top 15 tourist destinations in the world.

Following the fall of communism in the country the economy has flourished becoming a high-income society with services and quality of life vastly exceeding those of it's European neighbours.

Medical facilities in Hungary are among the best in Europe and they offer the best quality care. If you are considering dental treatment abroad you will find high quality facilities at highly competitive prices. So where better to enjoy first class dental treatments?

Many airlines offer frequent, convenient services to the international airport of Budapest where you can start your adventure.

We've come a long way

The early history of dentistry is well documented, with tooth-sticks being chewed on in classical times, the following have all been used at some stage in the production of toothpaste/toothpowder:

Powdered ashes of ox hooves, myrrh, eggshells, pumice, crushed bones, oyster shells, charcoal, bark, the burnt shells of snails, honey, green lead, verdigris, incense, flintstone, brick dust..

Then there was a very interesting development of teeth-transplants which was the mode in the 18th Century, the technique was widespread but far from scientific, it was blamed for a number of maladies from syphilis to scurvy.

Thankfully we have progressed a lot and can now even offer high-class dental holidays!

Quote:

In 1804 every dentist required a good stock of sound, non-carious human teeth. What were the possible sources? Teeth extracted by the dentist himself; teeth from the bodies of hung criminals which had been directed by the court to be used for dissection; from unclaimed bodies of paupers; from mortuaries or graveyards; from battlefields (hence ‘Waterloo teeth’); and by purchase or reward from living donors (Source: QI forum) And in today's market? No longer the threat of chewing on a branch with quality dental destinations

Travel abroad for high-quality, problem free service

With many dentists now not offering services on the NHS the cost of getting quality dental treatments has rapidly increased. This has forced many people in the UK to go abroad to find a low-cost solution this problem. Having dental work done abroad offers the chance to make huge financial savings, for example it would be cheaper to travel to Budapest, have a five day break in the city, receive high-quality dental care and save money when compared with the cost of treatments in the UK. One of the major worries for people wanting to enjoy the benefits of going abroad for treatment is the commonly held misconception that there may be very little recourse if there is a problem, and any after-care will involve long trips and constant visits back and forth from Europe. This is not the case, most treatments offered from this country come with the guarantee that patients will be in constant contact with a team in the UK who will consult, advise and provide aftercare, meaning that it is extremely easy to ensure that the whole process is easy and individually tailored. With companies having branches based in the UK there are standard legal procedures in place meaning that having treatment in Europe is exactly like being treated in the UK but at a fraction of the cost.

How half of dentists turn their backs on NHS patients

Costly: Most dentists offer only private care

More than half of English dentists have closed their doors to NHS patients, a survey reveals.The research found 51 per cent of dentists were only taking on patients if they agreed to go private.In some areas, the situation is so bad that only 15 per cent of dentists are taking on NHS patients, the study by consumer magazine Which? showed.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said the figures showed NHS dentistry is "becoming a thing of the past".

"What is most worrying is that many people on low incomes are effectively excluded from dental care," he added.

Researchers from Which? posing as potential patients contacted 466 dentists.The survey showed the worst area for access was the North West, where only 13 per cent of dentists are taking on NHS patients.

(Source: Daily Mail 2007)

Breaking the cycle of dental phobias

There are some 10% of the population who suffer from dental phobia and this can cause major problems for them. It is essential for people to maintain good levels of dental hygiene. The phobia often develops in childhood due to bad experiences with dentists, the threatening ambiance of a dentist's surgery, the vulnerability of the mouth or the surgical procedures which can often be performed whilst the patient is conscious. Some psychologists have cited a Freudian root to the problem with the teeth often being associated with sexual anxiety, a fundamental axiom of Freudian theory. There are myriad complex links between phobia, anxiety, and other complicated psychological notions, which this site is nowhere near large enough to expose in any great detail and with the necessary clinical approach. Suffice it to say that any steps which can be taken to reduce the threat posed by engaging with dental treatments will be a great help, and an essential requirement before any very deeply rooted problems are analysed. For this it may be wise to change old habits and mental connections formed over the years with dentists, this could involve including treatment in a more enjoyable experience such as going on holiday, or visiting different countries to break any trends.substance built up in the body and poisoned it.

Acupuncture 'can treat dental phobia'

Needles are placed on the crown

People terrified of visiting the dentist can overcome their fear with acupuncture, researchers have claimed.

The findings, in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine, may offer some comfort to the one in five people thought to have dental phobia.

Five minutes of treatment with needles placed at two specific acupuncture points on the top of the head allowed all 20 patients to conquer their fear.

The experts said bigger trials are now warranted.

These were patients who would have previously run screaming out of the door... Lead researcher Dr Palle Rosted

Dr Palle Rosted, who led the research carried out by eight UK dentists, said the findings were extremely promising.

"Although it's a small number of patients that we've looked at, all of the patients benefited.

"These were patients who would have previously run screaming out of the door or would had to have been held down by a dental assistant to have their teeth checked."

All of the patients were in their 40s and had been suffering from dental phobia for between two and 30 years.

Many had, unsuccessfully, tried other ways to conquer their fears, including hypnosis and relaxation techniques.

Petrified

On previous dental visits, three of the patients had to be knocked out with a general anaesthetic to cope with their fears, while six others had needed strong sedatives.

In 14 cases, treatment had to be cancelled because the patient could not go through with it.

The acupuncture treatment, given in the dentist chair five minutes before their routine check-up, involved having needles inserted at acupuncture points GV20 and EX6 on the top of the head, which have been reported to aid relaxation.

The patients were asked to rate how anxious they felt before and after the acupuncture treatment using a using a scale known as the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Typically, scores on the BAI fell from 26.5 to 11.5 after acupuncture and, more importantly, said the researchers, all 20 patients were able to undergo treatment. (SOURCE: BBC NEWS)

New teeth, new smile

Are there any dangers involved in having dental implants? Implants ought to be successful if properly planned and executed and are an effective and aesthetic method of replacing missing teeth, without involving or damaging the adjacent teeth in order to support a bridge or denture. However some factors may affect how successful implants are. Smokers have a higher risk of implants not working as they may be affecting the chance for the implants to fuse with bone. This is the most common threat to successful implants, namely that they will not correctly fuse and thus loosen, causing problems. With due care and attention the implants should last a lifetime with the attached crowns or caps being replaced every ten years or so in the normal way

Results of dental implants

Here you can see the affect of dental implants on your teeth with x-rays taken before and after treatment. Having dental implants can improve your smile and give you a much healthier look. This is also an excellent way to provide support and assisting with biting and chewing to your other teeth.

Are dental bridges a viable option?

Dental bridges are often an alternative to having dental implants. As previously shown it will require enough bone present in the jaw for an implant to be successful. The bone will need to be able to cope with biting forces and be strong enough and of a high enough quality to be able to deal with this. Dental bridges can prove to be more costly given that there is additional work to be done, but can provide extremely satisfactory results. It is a good idea to consult with a dentist and look into which procedure will be best for you.