Healthy Eating
Oral Hygiene
Tooth Development
Healthy eating equals healthyteeth
Diet plays a critically important role in the health of your child’s teeth. Developing healthy eating habits early in life will help ensure strong and healthy adult teeth. A recent Australian report indicates that dental decay rates are rising among 6 year olds. Good oral health during infancy and the toddler years contributes to better dental health throughout life with less dental decay and lower rates of missing teeth.
Rising decay rates in children have been related to changed dietary patterns, with fewer children drinking fluoridated tap water, and increased frequency of consumption of sugary, processed foods and drinks. Encouraging healthy eating and drinking habits in babies and toddlers are the best ways to help your child have healthy teeth for life.
Early Childhood Caries:
As soon as your baby develops their first tooth, they are at risk of dental decay. Decay in babies and toddlers is known as Early Childhood Caries (ECC). To help prevent ECC, follow the guidelines below:
If your baby has teeth, don’t settle them to sleep with a breastfeed or bottle of milk, sweetened flavoured milk, cordial, soft drink or fruit juice. Bacteria feed on the sugar in these drinks and form plaque acids on the teeth, which eat into the tooth surface and cause decay
Never allow your child to take a bottle of milk or other sugary beverages to bed. When they are older, it is fine to place water on their bedside table in case they get thirsty overnight
If your baby likes to suck on something to settle them to sleep, offer a dummy or a bottle of water
If your baby has a breastfeed or bottle of milk before bed, then gently wipe down their teeth with a moistened cloth before putting them to bed
Breast and bottle feeding regularly throughout the night once a child is over 12 months can contribute to ECC. Speak with your maternal and/or child health care adviser if your baby still needs an overnight feed
Avoid giving your baby or toddler frequent snacks; three meals and two snacks per day is sufficient to meet dietary needs
If your baby suffers from a dry mouth (lack of saliva) and is a mouth breather, they are at greater risk of ECC. Speak with your maternal and/or child health care adviser or dentist if you think your baby may suffer from a dry mouth
Good oral hygiene begins at birth. See the Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) fact sheet on oral hygiene for babies and toddlers for guidelines on cleaning your baby’s gums and teeth
Start phasing out breast and bottle feeding from 12 months of age and encourage your baby to learn to drink from a cup
What food contributes to dental decay?
Foods that can contribute to dental decay include those high in refined carbohydrates (sugar) such as concentrated fruit snack bars, lollies, muesli bars, sweet biscuits, some breakfast cereals and sugary drinks and juices. This is because the sugar feeds the destructive bacteria in your baby’s or toddler’s mouth. The bacteria produce acid which destroys your child’s teeth. Highly refined packaged foods such as savoury crackers and chips can also have high levels of carbohydrate (sugar). Therefore it is important to check the nutritional information panel on packaged foods to help work out which foods and drinks have high carbohydrate and sugar levels.
These types of foods are high risk for causing decay, especially if eaten often and over long periods. While it is unrealistic to completely cut these foods out, the ADA has some tips to help minimise dental decay. These include:
Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods, especially those rich in calcium and low in acids and sugars
Enjoy healthy snacks such as cheese and fruit. Some foods help protect teeth – milk and some cheeses have protective qualities to help prevent dental decay
Offer a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, lean meats and dairy products
Limit sugary snacks such as lollies, fruit and muesli bars, biscuits, dried fruit, cordials, juices and soft drinks
Many healthy foods contain high amounts of sugar. Starchy foods (such as bread, pasta, crackers) and milk products (including breast milk) consumed frequently can cause the growth of dental plaque (bacteria), which is why you need to make sure your child’s teeth are cleaned morning and night
Importantly, a healthy diet must be complemented by good oral hygiene - brushing and flossing teeth and regular dental check ups. Daily flossing and brushing greatly reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Did you know?
Some medicines contain sugar for taste. If your child is prescribed medicine, ask your doctor if this can be sugar free.
Xylitol is a natural sweetener. Foods containing sugar substitutes appear to reduce decay-causing bacteria. Ask your dentist if xylitol products (such as cough syrups or lozenges) would be useful in reducing your children’s risk of tooth decay.
Fluoride is especially good for strengthening young teeth
Fluoride is a natural mineral that strengthens teeth and protects against decay. Most capital cities in Australia add fluoride to the water supply at recommended levels. Your dentist can tell you if your local water supply is fluoridated.
Bottled water usually does not contain enough fluoride to offer protection against tooth decay. Some home water filters remove fluoride from tap water. Storage-tank water does not contain fluoride. If your child drinks the majority of their water from bottled or filtered water or tanks, then talk to your dentist about your child’s individual fluoride needs. If necessary, the dentist can apply ‘topical’ fluoride to their teeth, which has been proven to reduce childhood tooth decay.
Did you know?
Most people are aware that soft drinks contribute to tooth decay due to the significant amount of sugar that these drinks contain - a 600ml bottle can contain up to 13 teaspoons of sugar.
Less well known is that these drinks, along with fruit juices, cordials and sports drinks often have high acid levels, and can play a major role in the development of tooth erosion. Dental erosion is a silent epidemic. Soft drinks, fruit juices, cordials and sports drinks should be limited. Encourage your child to drink fluoridated water as much as possible.
Australian Dental Association Inc
Copyright 2009 ADA All Rights Reserved
Friday, 15 January 2010
Waiting for your Teeth??
From Argentina
An elderly couple go into a fat-food outlet, where they carefully split a burger and fries. A trucker takes pity on them and offers to buy the with her own meal.
"Is all right" says the husband. "we share everything".
A few minutes later, the trucker notices that the wife hasn't taken a bite. "I really wouldn't mind buyung your wife a meal", he insists.
"She'll eat" the husband assures him. "We share everything".
Unconvinced, the trucker implores the wife. "Why aren't you eating?"
The wife snaps, "BECAUSE I AM WAITING FOR THE TEETH!!!"
An elderly couple go into a fat-food outlet, where they carefully split a burger and fries. A trucker takes pity on them and offers to buy the with her own meal.
"Is all right" says the husband. "we share everything".
A few minutes later, the trucker notices that the wife hasn't taken a bite. "I really wouldn't mind buyung your wife a meal", he insists.
"She'll eat" the husband assures him. "We share everything".
Unconvinced, the trucker implores the wife. "Why aren't you eating?"
The wife snaps, "BECAUSE I AM WAITING FOR THE TEETH!!!"
13 Ways to Keep Your Brain Young
Just downloaded this....
"As a silver surfer, I was pleased to see that research has found going online can boost your brain power. I think the amount of problem solving your brain has to do when tracking down information on the net is similar to playing chess or bridge. In other words, it has your grey matter working overtime. However, logging on is just one of many things we can all do to help our brains fight ageing.Although it's important to realise that a single lifestyle change won't reverse a lifetime of bad health habits, latest research suggests many factors can play a part in keeping your brain young and alert.So here's a guide to what's well worth a try...
(1) Surf the netDon't feel guilty about idle surfing - using the net is a good workout for your brain. University of California researchers compared the brains of middle-aged people who rarely went online with regular users who were otherwise similar. After doing web searches for an hour a day for five days, areas of the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain which controls the ability to make decisions and learn - was much more active in the net users.
(2) Drink a hot choccie, I enjoy a hot chocolate drink every night before bed, so I'm very glad to know it could help keep my brain alert. Recent research found that flavanols - plant chemicals abundant in dark chocolate - stave off fatigue and boost mental sharpness. It's thought that they work by widening blood vessels, boosting blood flow to the brain.The scientists doing the test asked people to do a range of mental arithmetic tests before and after having a flavanolrich chocolate drink and found the drink boosted their performance.
(3) Work up a sweatThis is my favourite brain booster and one I've experienced first hand. When I was preparing for a cycle ride a few years ago, about six weeks into hard training I started to notice my memory has improved - it was like being a teenager again! I soon realised this was due to all the extra oxygen being pumped into my brain.A recent Swedish study backed up my own experience when it found that any exercise that gets you out of breath improves IQ scores in tests. The researchers speculated that the increased flow of oxygen to the brain actually promotes the production of new brain cells.
(4) MeditateThis is one habit that works for me when I'm travelling - I let my mind become still and settle into a kind of twilight state, similar to that reached by meditation, for a few minutes.Afterwards my brain feels recharged and so much brighter. Research by the Center for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania has come to a similar conclusion. The researchers found that people who meditate enjoy improved brain function - including better memories.In another study, people who meditate performed better than their non-meditating counterparts on a series of mental agility tests.
(5) Stand on your headResearch suggests that this parlour trick may improve your overall brain health by increasing blood flow to the brain. Of course, for those of us without the gymnastic skill to do it safely, there are easier ways to get the same benefits including hanging your head over the sofa for a few minutes, or lying on the floor with your feet up on a wall.
(6) Brush and floss dailyWe keep learning more and more about how dental hygiene can affect our whole body, and now a study had found that oral health is linked to brain health. A team of British researchers found that people with gum disease scored relatively badly on cognitive function tests.The researchers deduced that the gum inflammation may also be damaging the white matter in the brain, resulting in slower mental function.
(7) Get marriedMiddle-aged people in a stable relationship are half as likely to develop dementia as those who live alone, according to a study from Sweden. This link is pretty well established and it's all down to the constant social interaction married couples enjoy. Just talking about the shopping or the latest news means we avoid social and intellectual isolation. And of course it means you might indulge in a brain-boosting spot of sex...
(8) Sing a songThe deep breathing needed for singing forces more oxygen into the brain, while memorising lyrics and rhythms gives the brain a thorough workout. Anecdotal studies, supported by UK Alzheimer's charities, have also found singing to be good at improving communication in dementia patients.
(9) Drink red wineIn mental arithmetic tests set up by a team at Northumbria University, men and women did better after being given resveratrol, the "wonder ingredient" in red wine. It's thought the plant chemical found in grape skins - as well as most berries - increases blood flow to the brain by widening blood vessels. Personally, I think a handful of berries on breakfast cereal is the healthiest way to get plenty of this nutrient. BUT IT WILL STAIN YOUR TEETH..
(10) Have an apple a dayDrinking two glasses of apple juice a day could help to keep your brain healthy, according to a study in the Journal Of Alzheimer's Disease. Apple juice seems to reduce the amount of a protein that is responsible for forming the sticky plaques commonly found in the brains of dementia patients and thought to impair memory.
(11) Make loveSex boosts the levels of a brain chemical called prolac tin which appears to help create and nurture new nerve cells in the brain, according to Professor Perry Bartlett of the University Of Queensland's Brain Institute, Australia. Here's yet another reason to keep the home fires burning.\
(12) Be a bit differentWhen I first read that varying everyday activities could keep your brain in good shape, I began to start brushing my teeth using the other hand and reversing the way I hold a phone. Taking a different route to work or simply swapping your knife and fork around can also help. These little changes all force your brain to adapt to new things and create new pathways, which helps keep more brain cells alive.
(13) Wake up and smell the coffeeThree to five cups of coffee a day when you are middle-aged can cut your risk of developing dementia later in life by up to two thirds, a large, 21-year Finnish study revealed when it was published in the Journal Of Alzheimer's Disease last year.
Source: Daily Mirror Miriam Stoppard
"As a silver surfer, I was pleased to see that research has found going online can boost your brain power. I think the amount of problem solving your brain has to do when tracking down information on the net is similar to playing chess or bridge. In other words, it has your grey matter working overtime. However, logging on is just one of many things we can all do to help our brains fight ageing.Although it's important to realise that a single lifestyle change won't reverse a lifetime of bad health habits, latest research suggests many factors can play a part in keeping your brain young and alert.So here's a guide to what's well worth a try...
(1) Surf the netDon't feel guilty about idle surfing - using the net is a good workout for your brain. University of California researchers compared the brains of middle-aged people who rarely went online with regular users who were otherwise similar. After doing web searches for an hour a day for five days, areas of the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain which controls the ability to make decisions and learn - was much more active in the net users.
(2) Drink a hot choccie, I enjoy a hot chocolate drink every night before bed, so I'm very glad to know it could help keep my brain alert. Recent research found that flavanols - plant chemicals abundant in dark chocolate - stave off fatigue and boost mental sharpness. It's thought that they work by widening blood vessels, boosting blood flow to the brain.The scientists doing the test asked people to do a range of mental arithmetic tests before and after having a flavanolrich chocolate drink and found the drink boosted their performance.
(3) Work up a sweatThis is my favourite brain booster and one I've experienced first hand. When I was preparing for a cycle ride a few years ago, about six weeks into hard training I started to notice my memory has improved - it was like being a teenager again! I soon realised this was due to all the extra oxygen being pumped into my brain.A recent Swedish study backed up my own experience when it found that any exercise that gets you out of breath improves IQ scores in tests. The researchers speculated that the increased flow of oxygen to the brain actually promotes the production of new brain cells.
(4) MeditateThis is one habit that works for me when I'm travelling - I let my mind become still and settle into a kind of twilight state, similar to that reached by meditation, for a few minutes.Afterwards my brain feels recharged and so much brighter. Research by the Center for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania has come to a similar conclusion. The researchers found that people who meditate enjoy improved brain function - including better memories.In another study, people who meditate performed better than their non-meditating counterparts on a series of mental agility tests.
(5) Stand on your headResearch suggests that this parlour trick may improve your overall brain health by increasing blood flow to the brain. Of course, for those of us without the gymnastic skill to do it safely, there are easier ways to get the same benefits including hanging your head over the sofa for a few minutes, or lying on the floor with your feet up on a wall.
(6) Brush and floss dailyWe keep learning more and more about how dental hygiene can affect our whole body, and now a study had found that oral health is linked to brain health. A team of British researchers found that people with gum disease scored relatively badly on cognitive function tests.The researchers deduced that the gum inflammation may also be damaging the white matter in the brain, resulting in slower mental function.
(7) Get marriedMiddle-aged people in a stable relationship are half as likely to develop dementia as those who live alone, according to a study from Sweden. This link is pretty well established and it's all down to the constant social interaction married couples enjoy. Just talking about the shopping or the latest news means we avoid social and intellectual isolation. And of course it means you might indulge in a brain-boosting spot of sex...
(8) Sing a songThe deep breathing needed for singing forces more oxygen into the brain, while memorising lyrics and rhythms gives the brain a thorough workout. Anecdotal studies, supported by UK Alzheimer's charities, have also found singing to be good at improving communication in dementia patients.
(9) Drink red wineIn mental arithmetic tests set up by a team at Northumbria University, men and women did better after being given resveratrol, the "wonder ingredient" in red wine. It's thought the plant chemical found in grape skins - as well as most berries - increases blood flow to the brain by widening blood vessels. Personally, I think a handful of berries on breakfast cereal is the healthiest way to get plenty of this nutrient. BUT IT WILL STAIN YOUR TEETH..
(10) Have an apple a dayDrinking two glasses of apple juice a day could help to keep your brain healthy, according to a study in the Journal Of Alzheimer's Disease. Apple juice seems to reduce the amount of a protein that is responsible for forming the sticky plaques commonly found in the brains of dementia patients and thought to impair memory.
(11) Make loveSex boosts the levels of a brain chemical called prolac tin which appears to help create and nurture new nerve cells in the brain, according to Professor Perry Bartlett of the University Of Queensland's Brain Institute, Australia. Here's yet another reason to keep the home fires burning.\
(12) Be a bit differentWhen I first read that varying everyday activities could keep your brain in good shape, I began to start brushing my teeth using the other hand and reversing the way I hold a phone. Taking a different route to work or simply swapping your knife and fork around can also help. These little changes all force your brain to adapt to new things and create new pathways, which helps keep more brain cells alive.
(13) Wake up and smell the coffeeThree to five cups of coffee a day when you are middle-aged can cut your risk of developing dementia later in life by up to two thirds, a large, 21-year Finnish study revealed when it was published in the Journal Of Alzheimer's Disease last year.
Source: Daily Mirror Miriam Stoppard
Brighten those Teeth
At Dental Care, after much deliberation and trial and patient feedback we have decided that the best way to whiten your teeth is through the Tray system. We see that it is the best option because you are in control of the color you reach, and you can either choose a same day 1 hour service or a take home service. Both are very cost effective compared to other options. With our system we choose a product that has a variety of options with regards strength of the active whitening agent and can be used either for 1 hour at a time, 1 day, whilst you are watching TV at night or overnight in bed. Alternatively you can combine this with the option of a 45 minute application of whitening material to your teeth by your Dentist. Prior to this being done we have examined your teeth to ensure that you will get the maximum benefit and are aware of areas that will not whiten eg existing crowns or veneers. We then recommend that you have your teeth thoroughly cleaned. There is really no use whitening plaque is there?? Then the material is applied to each individual tooth and your mouth is protected by a barrier which is also carefully applied by your Dentist. Finally the material is activated under a light and heat lamp for optimum benefit. This procedure is generally done 3 times to reach you optimum shade. Whilst this is happening you just sit back and listen to the Ipod or watch TV. When the procedure is over your whitening trays are ready for you to take home. You can continue to brighten your smile at your leisure. We always take photos at the beginning, during the procedure and then at the end. An additional appointment is made for about 10 days time. Again we take photos and you can bask in the the fantastic results. Having the whitening trays and enough whitening material for approximately 12 months means that whenever you feel like brightening your teeth more you can. This is especially important for those of you who drink red wine, use soya sauce, smoke (tut tut) etc. And if you want more material just drop in and we will get you some more. It really is easy and pain free. Now that's something isn't it?
Monday, 11 January 2010
DON'T be Grossed OUT
Most of the work we do is very pretty, we can make your teeth whiter and brighter. Straighter and correct those you don't like the shape of. Just tell us what you want and we will do it. We always give you the choice of options and the costs are discussed. Then you make the decision what you want and when. You are the ones in control, it is your teeth, your smile, your money. You set the priorities and we provide the great service. If you are going to another dentist you can also call our Treatment Co-ordinator Kristy and she will have a chat and help you with clear descriptions of what your Dentist is proposing. She will also send you out further information if you need it. Next Blog will be about Whitening and then soon I think I will introduce you to our great Dentists and Support Staff.
Oral Cancer - Only this month we too had to do a biopsy on a patients mouth and it is all part of the service.
READ ON AND FEEL LIKE A CIGARETTE???
Ayubowan, betel chewing and oral cancer
(Daily News) Charmaine Fernando
The wise old sage in the village chewed betel. The school master did it, the village doctor did it. The people who looked up to their wisdom for advice believed it must be good. It over-powered their breadth mitigating foul smells at a time when toothpaste was yet to be discovered. When they had no cake to serve they plucked betel off the wine, arecanut off the tree in the garden and tobacco leaves from the adjoining chena and proved their degree of hospitality, proudly, beyond all boundaries. They never knew their hospitality will lead them to the hospital sooner than later.
Villagers never suspected oral cancer would creep in from behind their pleasant ‘chit chat and chew’ to wipe away their smiles. Oral Cancer happened then; it happened in the nineties but believe me the Sri Lankans are so steeped in culture, even in the second decade of the twenty first century, they are willing to die for it!
Cultural practice of betel chewing
Professor Prasad AmaratungaPix by Ruwan De Silva
In Sri Lanka betel is being served even before tea, in rural homes, as an extreme form of hospitality. There is no home in the village that won’t offer betel to a visitor. As per the cultural practice not offering betel is taken as an unwelcome gesture where the visitor takes offence.
Betel is the first offering students make to the teacher on the first day of school. No wedding, funeral or gathering is complete without betel chewing. Betel has become an integral part of the ritual, deep-rooted in the cultural practices of the Sri Lankan, from greeting to meeting and the people attach significance to this auspicious act of offering betel to one another. Breaking the habit for health sake will be an act of doing away with an age old custom of the Sri Lankans. How successful we can be in doing so is anybody’s guess.
The use of tobacco in the form of chewing with betel and arecanut has been a widespread habit among Sri Lankans since ancient times. Historical evidence shows that during the British rule 1823-1948, tobacco was an important commercial crop and was grown mainly in the northern part of Sri Lanka.
Today, thousands of rural farmers grow tobacco in their lands by replacing their traditional food crops. Cigarettes, beedi and cigars are the three main types of tobacco smoking products that are used by the people in Sri Lanka. During the Second World War period, the use of cigarettes increased significantly among Sri Lankans and, at present, smoking is a widespread male habit.
Bad habits can kill
Oral Cancer can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites located in the head and neck area. These ‘Mouth Cancers’ have a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma.
Oral and pharyngeal cancer is the sixth most common malignancy reported worldwide and one with high mortality ratios among all malignancies. The global number of new cases was estimated at 405,318 about two-thirds of them arising in developing countries. Highest rates are reported in South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka.
loss of tooth due to caries
The Indian sub-continent accounts for one-third of the world burden. The incidence and mortality from oral cancer is rising in several regions of Europe, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Every year in Europe, around 100,800 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer and almost 40,000 die from the disease.
In the USA alone, 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer each year. About 90 percent of head and neck cancers are of the squamous cell variety. Although there have been significant improvements in chemotherapy and surgical techniques, the disease is often particularly challenging to treat since most patients present with advanced disease, have secondary tumors and suffer from other health complications.
Poverty and tobacco
The use of tobacco has become a worldwide epidemic. According to WHO estimates, each year tobacco kills nearly 3.5 million people across the world. Smoking as well as oral use of smokeless tobacco is widely prevalent in South Asian countries. Studies conducted in India and Sri Lanka have shown that the habits of tobacco chewing and smoking are highly associated with oral cancer and pre-cancer with oral cancer being one of the commonest cancers in Sri Lanka.
At present, tobacco causes an estimated annual loss of US$100 billion to the economy of the developing world. This amount is more than 50% of the total annual health expenditure in those countries.
The worst affected are the families of smokers in the lowest socio-economic groups where a greater proportion of the family income is spent on tobacco, thus widening the gap between the rich and the poor in many third world countries, including Sri Lanka.
The burden of ‘Oral Cancer’
The Daily News spoke to Professor Prasad Amaratunga, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya and President Elect , Asia Pacific Dental Federation and APRO, who is also Chairman, Organizing committee, Asia Pacific Dental Congress 2010, due to be held at the BMICH Colombo in May.
Q: When it comes to oral health what major problems do you find in Sri Lanka?
Cancer outgrowing through the neck from the mouth cavity
A: There are three main areas of oral health we focus on, mainly dental caries, gum disease and oral cancer. I insist here, that dental caries and gum disease are preventable and oral cancer is a 100% curable, provided it is detected earlier-on or in the pre-cancer stage.
Dental caries is a bacterial disease and causes considerable disabilities. WHO recognized oral disease as a disease of great significance and appointed a sub-committee to focus its attention upon the subject.
One of the main reasons was the irregular attendance of students at school due to dental caries. If left unattended dental abscesses would form and spread to other areas. tThe jaw bone too can get affected. Gum diseases, inflammation, bleeding, abscesses, loss of bone, and ex foliation of the teeth would take place.
Q: Is there a way to create an attitude change of the people, as to the importance of dental health?
A: Many don’t attend to oral health because they don’t see or receive an immediate benefit. It is best to start them young at school going age to begin best practices and good habits. The Faculty of Dental Sciences holds educational programs for students and teachers of primary and nursery to create an impact over attending to dental care at a younger age.
Q: What are the Sri Lanka’s oral health statistics as at present?
A: The mouth is a small part of the entire body mass but oral cancer held an alarming 32 percent of all cancer patients in Sri Lanka. The number one killer is betel chewing with tobacco and arecanut that induce cancer. I count number two also as betel chewing insisting the importance of focusing attention and shedding some light in to this -not-so-seriously-concerned national issue. Thirdly I count smoking due to the damages it causes to the lining of the mouth.
Alcohol is the fourth culprit that leaves behind a half-baked inner-lining of the mouth. Lately the figures have gone down by 10 percent in Sri Lanka which is a good sign. This is due to the decline in numbers of youth refraining from smoking.
In India and South America they fo a step further to do ‘reverse’ smoking, having the lit up cigarette inside the mouth to avoid being noticed. The heat thus generated causes untold damage to the mouth’s inner lining.
Q: How do you find out whether you have an oral disease? Especially pre- cancer?
cancer on the lip
A: You will find a lesion from under the tongue. Oral cancer arises from a recognizable change, in colour. Look out for a white patch, red patch or white and red patches in speckles. If a white patch remains for a long time under the tongue show your dental surgeon immediately. It’s crucial to detect sooner because oral cancer is curable when detected early.
Q: What steps have the SLDA taken to mitigate the situation of oral cancer in Sri Lanka?
A: Primary prevention is crucial. Before you contract the disease it is necessary to educate the public on how to prevent it. Secondary prevention is to treat during the progression of the disease to mitigate its impact on the human through spreading. We work closely with the Cancer Society. Dental Faculty works with the Kandy branch mainly.
There is a global health promotion currently held. FDI Unilever Global Oral Health Project is funded by the Dental Federation and Unilever International who are working together to achieve its objectives. The funding also covers school projects targeting the education of school children on oral health.
Lesions and white patches under the tongue
The Faculty of Dental Sciences go to the general public in the rural areas, especially covering the high risk communities living in the estates. Recognizing the risk factor all are mass-screened mostly without them knowing it. They are treated at the medical faculty Peradeniya and sent to hospital for extensive surgery. All these services and medical facilities are offered free of charge to the people.
The Faculty has a ready team of experts and the facilities to handle serious situations. It has been internationally recognized by the medical and dental committees for excellence. The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons hold a training program for O and M surgery.
Q: What about other countries in the Asian region? Is oral cancer prevalent there?
A: India has 40 percent oral cancer patients due to betel chewing. In the subcontinent, globalization has taken the people of Asia all over the world despite the change of environment, the habits have moved with them. Now betel chewing has been looked at as a global issue.
To reduce your chances of getting oral cancers avoid the following
* Not smoking or chewing tobacco
* Limiting alcohol consumption
* Having a healthier ‘low meat, low fat’ diet, rich in vegetables and fruit with servings of bread, cereals or beans everyday.
* A high proportion of oropharyngeal cancers in nonsmokers and younger adults have been associated with HPV. The mode of transmission may be frequent oral sex in adolescents and young adults.
Mouth Cancer in young people increasing!
In its very early stages, mouth cancers can be almost invisible making it easy to ignore. You can improve your chances of survival if the cancer is detected early and rapidly treated. It is important to have self-awareness and to perform regular, self-examinations to help in the early identification of the following symptoms:
* A sore or ulcer in the mouth that does not heal within three weeks
* A lump or overgrowth of tissue anywhere in the mouth
* A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
* Difficulty in swallowing
* Difficulty in chewing or moving the jaw or tongue
* Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
* A feeling that something is caught in the throat
* A chronic sore throat or voice change (hoarseness) that persists more than six weeks, particularly in smokers over 50 years old and heavy drinkers
* Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
* Neck swelling present for more than three weeks
* Unexplained tooth mobility persisting for more than three weeks – see a dentist urgently
* Persistent (especially unilateral) nasal obstruction, particularly associated with mucus (clear, purulent or bloody) discharge causing difficulty breathing through nose
* Unexplained persistent earache
Pre-cancer lesions in younger individuals
* During the last three years a total of 80232 patients were admitted at NCI for continuation of treatment and investigations. The male female distributions of inward patients were 42.7% and 57.2% respectively. About 88.2 % patients were adult and 11.7% were children.
* In adults, malignancies of breast, leukemia and oral cancers were the leading malignancies. The top three malignancies among male were cancer of oral cavity, leukemia, and malignant neoplasm of lymphoid, heamatopoietic and related tissues, whereas in females they were cancers of the breast, cervix, and leukemia.
* The vast majority of the patients who become afflicted by oral cancer are from the less educated and economically poor section of the rural population of the country. As in India and other South Asian countries with high incidence of oral cancer, the habits of chewing betel quid with tobacco and arecanut and smoking beedi are highly prevalent in Sri Lanka. The disease is age-related and seen in the 40-70 age group.
*e-cancer lesions and conditions may be seen in younger individuals. This is alarming.
The importance of ral Cancer Screening
* Mouth Cancer kills one person every 3 hours in the UK because of late detection. An increasing number of young people are being affected and 25% of the cases have no associated significant risk factors.
* Oral cancer is the most common type of cancer in Sri Lanka. Statistics of the Cancer Institute, Maharagama, the only exclusive hospital in Sri Lanka for this malignant disease show that one third or 25 percent to 30 percent of all cancers affecting the population of Sri Lanka are oral cancers.
*Most patients with oral cancer in Sri Lanka present themselves for treatment only after the disease has advanced considerably. In most cases surgical reconstruction is the method of treatment and require highly trained manpower and considerable financial and material resources.
* All this means one thing; prevention and early detection of oral cancer should receive a high priority.
(Daily News)
January 11th, 2010
Ayubowan, betel chewing and oral cancer
(Daily News) Charmaine Fernando
The wise old sage in the village chewed betel. The school master did it, the village doctor did it. The people who looked up to their wisdom for advice believed it must be good. It over-powered their breadth mitigating foul smells at a time when toothpaste was yet to be discovered. When they had no cake to serve they plucked betel off the wine, arecanut off the tree in the garden and tobacco leaves from the adjoining chena and proved their degree of hospitality, proudly, beyond all boundaries. They never knew their hospitality will lead them to the hospital sooner than later.
Villagers never suspected oral cancer would creep in from behind their pleasant ‘chit chat and chew’ to wipe away their smiles. Oral Cancer happened then; it happened in the nineties but believe me the Sri Lankans are so steeped in culture, even in the second decade of the twenty first century, they are willing to die for it!
Cultural practice of betel chewing
Professor Prasad AmaratungaPix by Ruwan De Silva
In Sri Lanka betel is being served even before tea, in rural homes, as an extreme form of hospitality. There is no home in the village that won’t offer betel to a visitor. As per the cultural practice not offering betel is taken as an unwelcome gesture where the visitor takes offence.
Betel is the first offering students make to the teacher on the first day of school. No wedding, funeral or gathering is complete without betel chewing. Betel has become an integral part of the ritual, deep-rooted in the cultural practices of the Sri Lankan, from greeting to meeting and the people attach significance to this auspicious act of offering betel to one another. Breaking the habit for health sake will be an act of doing away with an age old custom of the Sri Lankans. How successful we can be in doing so is anybody’s guess.
The use of tobacco in the form of chewing with betel and arecanut has been a widespread habit among Sri Lankans since ancient times. Historical evidence shows that during the British rule 1823-1948, tobacco was an important commercial crop and was grown mainly in the northern part of Sri Lanka.
Today, thousands of rural farmers grow tobacco in their lands by replacing their traditional food crops. Cigarettes, beedi and cigars are the three main types of tobacco smoking products that are used by the people in Sri Lanka. During the Second World War period, the use of cigarettes increased significantly among Sri Lankans and, at present, smoking is a widespread male habit.
Bad habits can kill
Oral Cancer can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites located in the head and neck area. These ‘Mouth Cancers’ have a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma.
Oral and pharyngeal cancer is the sixth most common malignancy reported worldwide and one with high mortality ratios among all malignancies. The global number of new cases was estimated at 405,318 about two-thirds of them arising in developing countries. Highest rates are reported in South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka.
loss of tooth due to caries
The Indian sub-continent accounts for one-third of the world burden. The incidence and mortality from oral cancer is rising in several regions of Europe, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Every year in Europe, around 100,800 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer and almost 40,000 die from the disease.
In the USA alone, 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer each year. About 90 percent of head and neck cancers are of the squamous cell variety. Although there have been significant improvements in chemotherapy and surgical techniques, the disease is often particularly challenging to treat since most patients present with advanced disease, have secondary tumors and suffer from other health complications.
Poverty and tobacco
The use of tobacco has become a worldwide epidemic. According to WHO estimates, each year tobacco kills nearly 3.5 million people across the world. Smoking as well as oral use of smokeless tobacco is widely prevalent in South Asian countries. Studies conducted in India and Sri Lanka have shown that the habits of tobacco chewing and smoking are highly associated with oral cancer and pre-cancer with oral cancer being one of the commonest cancers in Sri Lanka.
At present, tobacco causes an estimated annual loss of US$100 billion to the economy of the developing world. This amount is more than 50% of the total annual health expenditure in those countries.
The worst affected are the families of smokers in the lowest socio-economic groups where a greater proportion of the family income is spent on tobacco, thus widening the gap between the rich and the poor in many third world countries, including Sri Lanka.
The burden of ‘Oral Cancer’
The Daily News spoke to Professor Prasad Amaratunga, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya and President Elect , Asia Pacific Dental Federation and APRO, who is also Chairman, Organizing committee, Asia Pacific Dental Congress 2010, due to be held at the BMICH Colombo in May.
Q: When it comes to oral health what major problems do you find in Sri Lanka?
Cancer outgrowing through the neck from the mouth cavity
A: There are three main areas of oral health we focus on, mainly dental caries, gum disease and oral cancer. I insist here, that dental caries and gum disease are preventable and oral cancer is a 100% curable, provided it is detected earlier-on or in the pre-cancer stage.
Dental caries is a bacterial disease and causes considerable disabilities. WHO recognized oral disease as a disease of great significance and appointed a sub-committee to focus its attention upon the subject.
One of the main reasons was the irregular attendance of students at school due to dental caries. If left unattended dental abscesses would form and spread to other areas. tThe jaw bone too can get affected. Gum diseases, inflammation, bleeding, abscesses, loss of bone, and ex foliation of the teeth would take place.
Q: Is there a way to create an attitude change of the people, as to the importance of dental health?
A: Many don’t attend to oral health because they don’t see or receive an immediate benefit. It is best to start them young at school going age to begin best practices and good habits. The Faculty of Dental Sciences holds educational programs for students and teachers of primary and nursery to create an impact over attending to dental care at a younger age.
Q: What are the Sri Lanka’s oral health statistics as at present?
A: The mouth is a small part of the entire body mass but oral cancer held an alarming 32 percent of all cancer patients in Sri Lanka. The number one killer is betel chewing with tobacco and arecanut that induce cancer. I count number two also as betel chewing insisting the importance of focusing attention and shedding some light in to this -not-so-seriously-concerned national issue. Thirdly I count smoking due to the damages it causes to the lining of the mouth.
Alcohol is the fourth culprit that leaves behind a half-baked inner-lining of the mouth. Lately the figures have gone down by 10 percent in Sri Lanka which is a good sign. This is due to the decline in numbers of youth refraining from smoking.
In India and South America they fo a step further to do ‘reverse’ smoking, having the lit up cigarette inside the mouth to avoid being noticed. The heat thus generated causes untold damage to the mouth’s inner lining.
Q: How do you find out whether you have an oral disease? Especially pre- cancer?
cancer on the lip
A: You will find a lesion from under the tongue. Oral cancer arises from a recognizable change, in colour. Look out for a white patch, red patch or white and red patches in speckles. If a white patch remains for a long time under the tongue show your dental surgeon immediately. It’s crucial to detect sooner because oral cancer is curable when detected early.
Q: What steps have the SLDA taken to mitigate the situation of oral cancer in Sri Lanka?
A: Primary prevention is crucial. Before you contract the disease it is necessary to educate the public on how to prevent it. Secondary prevention is to treat during the progression of the disease to mitigate its impact on the human through spreading. We work closely with the Cancer Society. Dental Faculty works with the Kandy branch mainly.
There is a global health promotion currently held. FDI Unilever Global Oral Health Project is funded by the Dental Federation and Unilever International who are working together to achieve its objectives. The funding also covers school projects targeting the education of school children on oral health.
Lesions and white patches under the tongue
The Faculty of Dental Sciences go to the general public in the rural areas, especially covering the high risk communities living in the estates. Recognizing the risk factor all are mass-screened mostly without them knowing it. They are treated at the medical faculty Peradeniya and sent to hospital for extensive surgery. All these services and medical facilities are offered free of charge to the people.
The Faculty has a ready team of experts and the facilities to handle serious situations. It has been internationally recognized by the medical and dental committees for excellence. The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons hold a training program for O and M surgery.
Q: What about other countries in the Asian region? Is oral cancer prevalent there?
A: India has 40 percent oral cancer patients due to betel chewing. In the subcontinent, globalization has taken the people of Asia all over the world despite the change of environment, the habits have moved with them. Now betel chewing has been looked at as a global issue.
To reduce your chances of getting oral cancers avoid the following
* Not smoking or chewing tobacco
* Limiting alcohol consumption
* Having a healthier ‘low meat, low fat’ diet, rich in vegetables and fruit with servings of bread, cereals or beans everyday.
* A high proportion of oropharyngeal cancers in nonsmokers and younger adults have been associated with HPV. The mode of transmission may be frequent oral sex in adolescents and young adults.
Mouth Cancer in young people increasing!
In its very early stages, mouth cancers can be almost invisible making it easy to ignore. You can improve your chances of survival if the cancer is detected early and rapidly treated. It is important to have self-awareness and to perform regular, self-examinations to help in the early identification of the following symptoms:
* A sore or ulcer in the mouth that does not heal within three weeks
* A lump or overgrowth of tissue anywhere in the mouth
* A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
* Difficulty in swallowing
* Difficulty in chewing or moving the jaw or tongue
* Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
* A feeling that something is caught in the throat
* A chronic sore throat or voice change (hoarseness) that persists more than six weeks, particularly in smokers over 50 years old and heavy drinkers
* Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
* Neck swelling present for more than three weeks
* Unexplained tooth mobility persisting for more than three weeks – see a dentist urgently
* Persistent (especially unilateral) nasal obstruction, particularly associated with mucus (clear, purulent or bloody) discharge causing difficulty breathing through nose
* Unexplained persistent earache
Pre-cancer lesions in younger individuals
* During the last three years a total of 80232 patients were admitted at NCI for continuation of treatment and investigations. The male female distributions of inward patients were 42.7% and 57.2% respectively. About 88.2 % patients were adult and 11.7% were children.
* In adults, malignancies of breast, leukemia and oral cancers were the leading malignancies. The top three malignancies among male were cancer of oral cavity, leukemia, and malignant neoplasm of lymphoid, heamatopoietic and related tissues, whereas in females they were cancers of the breast, cervix, and leukemia.
* The vast majority of the patients who become afflicted by oral cancer are from the less educated and economically poor section of the rural population of the country. As in India and other South Asian countries with high incidence of oral cancer, the habits of chewing betel quid with tobacco and arecanut and smoking beedi are highly prevalent in Sri Lanka. The disease is age-related and seen in the 40-70 age group.
*e-cancer lesions and conditions may be seen in younger individuals. This is alarming.
The importance of ral Cancer Screening
* Mouth Cancer kills one person every 3 hours in the UK because of late detection. An increasing number of young people are being affected and 25% of the cases have no associated significant risk factors.
* Oral cancer is the most common type of cancer in Sri Lanka. Statistics of the Cancer Institute, Maharagama, the only exclusive hospital in Sri Lanka for this malignant disease show that one third or 25 percent to 30 percent of all cancers affecting the population of Sri Lanka are oral cancers.
*Most patients with oral cancer in Sri Lanka present themselves for treatment only after the disease has advanced considerably. In most cases surgical reconstruction is the method of treatment and require highly trained manpower and considerable financial and material resources.
* All this means one thing; prevention and early detection of oral cancer should receive a high priority.
(Daily News)
January 11th, 2010
Happy Gas
There is no need to be scared of the Dentist. Justy ask if they have happy gas and go for it. When we installed our new Nitrous Oxide system it was my job to try it out. I guess as a Boss it is probably the wrong thing to do. Yes the amount given to me was carefully managed by the Dentist but the things that came out of my mouth were unfortunately managed by me. Gee I had fun though. But also remember that it will take at least 30 minutes for the effects to wear off so you will have to hang around awhile whilst you come out of the lovely haze. Thoroughly reccomended addition to all Dental Practices.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Dental Care in Australia
Hi to all those interested in their Dental Care and also what is happening in the are of Dental Care in Australia and the World. We have operated a Dental business for the past 20 years and have seen a huge number of changes. The most important one is that patients want to be educated about what services are available, the options and then be given choice. There is also the obvious issue also that there are not enough Dentists available to service the huge number of patients on our Hospital waiting lists. As a Private Practice we try to do our very best in offering services to our patients which meet their health and financial needs. But with the Government allocation being so low we are just unable to provide even the most simple of services. For example and examination costs $63. Imagine you have not been to the Dentist for 10 years and you are in pain. Well the the Dentist has to be paid and that is important after over 6 years of study, near perfect marks and years of experience, then there is the salaries for your Dental Assistant, the Receptionist, the Sterilisation Assistant, the Practice Manager, and then of course the materials. The Government reimburses currently at about $33. You are with us for up to 1/2 an hour. We can all see that it just does not add up. But we still do it. It is our obligation and our duty of care. We are going to use this site to discuss issues, put on interesting things that happen eg the story of the lady who extracted her own tooth at Xmas because she is scared of going to the Dentist and how she did it and you can also let us know what you want to discuss. We will give you hints on Dental procedures, how to assess if your Dentist is right for you and much more. There will be games, and lots of stories to tell. So enjoy. Let us know what you think. Cheers for now; dentacareaustralia
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