15th June 2021 When we think about how we care for our mouth, it might be easy to think that there is little in common between our oral health and the environment – but that’s not quite true. In addition to turning off the tap when brushing (which saves us a staggering 12 litres of water each time), there’s an important connection that applies to all of us – and it revolves around our toothbrush. Toothbrushes form a part of our daily routine. Twice a day, morning and night, for two minutes, they help clean
Category: Dental Maintenance
50 Years: Former student leaders offer insight, lessons learned in retrospective series
In February 1970, a group of dental students met in Chicago to form an independent national dental student organization and named themselves the Student American Dental Association (SADA). The following year the ADA embraced this idea and organized a meeting of student representatives from each dental school in the country to help form a new organization called the American Student Dental Association (ASDA). Although scattered all over the world, several of the founders and leaders of those two organizations planned on having a reunion this year in celebration of their 50th anniversary, but it was
Brits cast their vote on the one thing they could not go a day without
Brushing teeth has been ranked top of things Brits could not go a day without doing – according to the findings of a new nationwide poll. Two-in-three (68%) UK adults say they could not go a day without brushing their teeth, deeming it more than three times as important than exercise (21%), as a daily task.1 Brushing teeth was also judged to be more essential than eating breakfast (43%) and washing (41%).1 The findings are part of new research by the Oral Health Foundation to coincide with National Smile Month – a charity campaign aiming
How thumb-sucking can be detrimental for children’s oral health
In this guest blog, Jo Bates, founder of Thumbsie® Ltd discusses the potentially detrimental impact of thumb-sucking on children’s oral health. It was through her own struggles with her daughter Isabel, who tried to give up thumb-sucking eight years ago, that Jo found inspiration to launch Thumbsie®, a tool dedicated to helping children to stop thumb and finger sucking in a positive way. Thumbsie is also a proud sponsor of this year’s National Smile Month campaign which is running from 17 May to 17 June. The largest and longest-running campaign to promote good oral health
About tooth whitening
The demand for tooth whitening treatment has boomed in recent years, in part, driven by the rise of pearly white smiles seen on our TV screens and on social media. Our research shows that whiter teeth come top of most people’s smile wish list and may lead to a boost in confidence and self-esteem. Like all medical procedures, however, tooth whitening is not without danger. Before embarking on tooth whitening treatment, it is important to do your research. By knowing more about tooth whitening, you may improve your chance of having safer treatment with better
Oral piercings
Oral piercings are any piercings that are attached to, or in the mouth. This includes the tongue, lips, and cheeks. As the stud or ring is pierced to soft tissue, oral piercings pose a far greater risk to your health than those on other parts of the body. This is because they are difficult to care for and are more prone to infection. Oral piercings are not considered safe and are not recommended. If you are still considering an oral piercing, it is important to lower the risks and help protect the health of your
Grillz / Grills
Grillz are removable decorative tooth covers. They are often made of gold, silver or jewel-encrusted precious metals that snap over one or more teeth. They have been around in some form for thousands of years as a way of showing social status but made their way into mainstream pop culture in the early 1980s. They’re still worn today by many celebrities such as Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Jay-Z. Grillz are often used as a form of self-expression and identity, and an opportunity to show off something … but they may not be
Keeping your mouth safe while playing sport
Many sports pose a potential danger for your mouth when there is a chance of other people, or objects, coming into contact with it. This is just as true for non-contact sports as it is for those sports that have contact. Looking after your mouth and oral health when playing sport is important. The good news is that during this time, there are some easy and effective steps to help protect your teeth and gums and keep your smile safe. Common mouth injuries in sport Between 13% and 39% of all dental injuries in the
Lip cancer: what you really need to know
Lip cancer is a type of mouth cancer, which sounds scary, but the good news is that if caught early, it can be treated successfully. Therefore, early diagnosis is essential, dentalhealth.org suggests that ‘with early diagnosis, the chances of survival are nine out of ten’. If you haven’t heard much about it, you’re not alone; a worrying statistic is that although 88% of the British public have heard of mouth (including lip) cancer, 75% do not know what the main signs and symptoms are. But, according to the Oral Health Foundation, it actually kills more people per
Give Somebody Back Their Smile
Simple functions such as eating and drinking are made more difficult by poor dental health, which can lead to nutritional deficits. It can also have a negative influence on a person’s mental health, resulting in anxiety and depression. Oral illness has also been related to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and dementia. Unfortunately, far too many people are in needless agony and anguish as a result of poor oral health. Many simply cannot afford a dental visit and live in pain everyday which with time can bring out more serious health conditions. Help