manchester

healthy options

general health

Teeth

Smile and the world smiles with you.

At least, that's the theory. Of course, in practice this only works if you have a full set of pearly whites, otherwise it's more a case of smile and the world grimaces at you.

First impressions can last a lifetime and with only a few seconds to make your mark, teeth can make or break your image.

But it's not just an image thing, teeth need to be kept in good condition just like any other part of the body to ensure they remain healthy.

Bad dental hygiene will inevitably lead to tooth decay or gum disease, as harmful bacteria are allowed to breed in the mouth. The key to preventing this damage is to limit the sugars that mouth bacteria turn into corrosive acid. Ensuring teeth are kept clean will also limit the growth of this bacteria.

According to Jackie Duxbury, Clinical Director of Community Dental Services for Greater Manchester, the best way to look after your teeth is to maintain a good diet and also to adopt good dental hygiene as young as possible.

Children

Youngsters in the North West have some of the worst teeth in the country, with more five-year-olds having fillings or decaying teeth than anywhere else. The reasons are complex and complicated by numerous factors. But the bottom line is that parents and carers can, and should, do more to help look after children's teeth.

Limit the number of times your child has sugar. It is not the amount they consume, it is the frequency that causes problems. It is better for a child to eat an entire bag of sweets in one go than eat them over the course of a day. Better still, to only give sweet treats after meals when there is a lot of saliva in the mouth to neutralise the sugars.
Stop giving sugary drinks. Research has shown that children nowadays rarely drink ordinary water, but instead consume gallons of sugar - laden fizzy drinks. Re-educate them, or better still, never give them in the first place. Encourage them to have water with their meals and well - diluted fruit squashes at other times.
Never put sugary drinks or sweetened baby drinks or sweet milk-shakes into a baby's bottle. Do wean from a bottle as soon as possible. Suckling on a bottle allows small amounts of liquid to come through constantly, coating the gums and any newly formed teeth in liquid. Never soak dummies in sweet syrup or juice.
Start cleaning baby's teeth as soon as they come through with a specially designed children's toothpaste.
Take them to the dentist with you and let them sit in the chair as soon as they are old enough, so they get used to the idea. When they are old enough, supervise them brushing their own teeth. It is vital they do this twice a day, particularly at bedtime. They will need supervising until they are around seven years old.
Encourage them to snack on healthier things like a portion of cheese, piece of fruit, even a bread stick. Sweets and biscuits should be special treats, not everyday rewards.
If you look after your teeth while they are forming they can last you a lifetime. Just look at the Queen Mother who has managed to reach her century with her own teeth intact.
Get fresh

Brush teeth every day, twice a day, for at least two minutes. If you only manage to brush once, make sure it is before going to bed or bacteria have all night to feast on sugars deposited during the day and when saliva production decreases.

Choose a small toothbrush that will reach all parts of your teeth, as large brushes can be hard to move around the mouth and tend to miss corners.

Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste and vibrate the toothbrush gently in a circular motion - scrubbing will only damage gums.

After brushing teeth make sure you also brush your tongue. Bacteria are present here also and neglecting it could lead to halitosis.

Floss regularly to get rid of all the bacteria in between teeth that a brush just can't reach. It may seem a fag at the end of a long day but it really DOES make a difference.

Fluoride

The debate on its benefits continues.

Opponents to the routine fluoridation of water argue that you are in effect adding a chemical to the supply for everyone, when only a small number of people may benefit.

Advocates point to figures which show fluoridation has led to a significant drop in tooth decay, with the subsequent savings in cost and pain.

Only around 10 per cent of the UK water supply is fluoridated. In Birmingham, where it is, children have far fewer fillings than in the North West, where it isn't.

Fluoride is available in mouthwashes, or in tablet form available on free prescription, or fluoride varnish can be applied to form an outside protective layer.

But too much fluoride can cause serious problems. Secondary, permanent teeth have come through disfigured with white or brown spots when the child has had too much fluoride.

The best advice is not to give your child fluoride tablets if you live in an area with fluoridated water. You should also encourage children to spit out, not swallow, toothpaste.

But if your domestic water is not fluoridated, talk to you dentist about the benefits of tablets.

Fear

There are four million people in the UK with no teeth whatsoever, and an astonishing 16 million with missing teeth. If you don't want to be one of them, then it's time to pay a visit to the dentist.

It may be hard to believe but, according to the latest research from the British Dental Association, seven out of ten people have no problems going to the dentist, and eight out of ten people actually believe their dentist is ''kind and attentive''.

In fact, with 29,055 BDA registered dentists across the UK, the latest figures show an amazing 500,000 people visiting their dentist in this country every day.

Children as young as one can visit the dentist and this is often the best way to convince them that there is nothing to fear. Everyone should try to have a check up every six months, as this helps to spot potential problem areas before they occur and is the best way to look after your teeth.

Most dentists will be happy to discuss the best diet for your teeth as well as the best cleaning methods.

And despite fears dental care is free on the NHS for anyone under 18 years of age. But be warned that some ''cosmetic'' dental work for children may soon not be available on the NHS.

The government is looking at restricting what treatments are available and new rules may come through in April, although it is more likely to wait until after any General Election.

So if you think your children's teeth may need work, see a dentist immediately. Once they have started a course of treatment they will be able to continue.

Smile please

Britain has only recently woken up to the fact that if you do not have perfect teeth, then you probably can have!

The latest developments, techniques and technology mean that almost anything is possible to give you perfect peggies.

Dr Paul Tipton of St Ann's Dental Clinic in Manchester specialises in prosthodontics and cosmetic dentistry. In recent years he has seen an increase in the number of people wanting cosmetic work to improve their smile. He believes that recent moves to make patients more comfortable and to cut down on the time it takes to carry out dental work have led to people seeking more cosmetic surgery.

He said: ''People are coming in and demanding teeth that are whiter and brighter. Straighter and perfectly aligned. Fortunately because of advances that is now possible.''

Same day teeth

This is the cutting edge of dental technology, and is set to revolutionise visits to the dentist. People will be able to have lower jaw teeth implants and a fixed bridge done in the same day.

Although it's pricey at £5,995, it is still £2,000-£4,000 cheaper than previous implant treatment.

Bleaching

Love to have teeth like a Baywatch extra but can't face that dentist's surgery? Well help is at hand. The latest developments in teeth bleaching mean that you will soon be able to buy small bleaching strips over the counter that will provide permanent results.

The only downside being that it will expose all your old grotty fillings!

The painless injection

Advances in computer aided machinery means that dentists are now able to control the pressure and flow of an injection, ensuring that the patient feels no pain.

Virtual glasses

For the total escapist, dental surgeries such as St Ann's Dental Clinic, now offer patients virtual reality glasses to take their mind off things. So now you can watch the latest DVDs or play at being Lara Croft while your teeth are made beautiful.

If you really can't face that visit to the dentist and would rather have your teeth pulled out with a door handle and a piece of string, then it's time to visit www.dentalfear.org

They offer these ways to face the fear:

Intravenous sedation.
Inhalation sedation.
Hypnosis.
Psychotherapy

Links
Dental phobia and anxiety
British Dental Association