Dental treatment could help soothe the chronic aches and pains of rheumatoid arthritis, according to new studies.

The UK’s leading oral health charity has reminded the public of the importance of dental visits after research published in the Journal of Periodontology* added further weight to the body of evidence on systemic links between oral and overall health.

News of studies linking treatment for gum disease with easing of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis backs the message of British Dental Health Foundation’s annual National Smile Month campaign (May 17th to June 16th), encouraging the nation to ‘Look After Yourself, Brush for Health’.

Research by the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland supports existing reports linking gum disease with arthritic pain and inflammation.

Scientists monitored 40 people with moderate or severe periodontitis and severe rheumatoid arthritis to study the impact of treatments on arthritic pain, which is known to be linked to and inflamed by toxins in the body.

Groups treated with anti-inflammatory drugs or receiving gum disease reported easing of arthritic symptoms. Dental treatment combined with a course of anti-inflammatories yielded the strongest results.

Foundation chief executive Dr Nigel Carter BDS LDS (RCS) commented: “This research supports existing evidence which found that extracting painful teeth had a positive impact on arthritic pain.

“Visiting the dentist is an important part of our overall health routine – especially as research potentially links gum disease to not only arthritis, but heart disease, strokes, diabetes and premature births.

“Though 19 in 20 of us suffer from gum disease at some point in our lives, the risks can be easily controlled with a good dental routine.

“Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between teeth daily with floss or an interdental brush and visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend, will all help you to look after yourself.”

Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable disease affecting mainly the small joints such as hands and feet, and affects around half a million people in the UK.

The disease can cause pain and a loss of mobility, and affects three times more men than women.

Chair of the Department of Periodontics at the Case Western University dental school Nabil Bissada DDS said: “Again we are seeing another link where good oral health improves the overall health of an individual.”

ENDS

* Bissada, N., Askari, A. et al; ‘Periodontal Therapy Reduces the Severity of Active Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients Treated with or Without Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors’, Journal of Periodontolgy 2009.

Editor’s notes

For further information please contact the Foundation’s Press Office on 0870 770 4014 or by emailingpr@dentalhealth.org

Websites: www.dentalhealth.org / www.nationalsmilemonth.org

Members of the public can contact the National Dental Helpline for free and impartial expert advice on 0845 063 1188 Monday to Friday.

The British Dental Health Foundation is an independent charity formed in 1971 that along with its global arm, the International Dental Health Foundation, is dedicated to improving oral health

The Foundation promotes three key messages:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
• Cut down how often you have sugary foods and drinks
• Visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend

NATIONAL SMILE MONTH 2009 – MAY 17 TO JUNE 16

Looking at systemic links between oral health and overall health. Pre-2009 research:

HEART

• December 2008 – Italian/UK study in FASEB Journal reveals good oral healthcare and treatment for gum disease can prevent the bacteria that cause thickening of the arteries. (Piconi, Trabattoni et al, FASEB Journal Dec 08)

• September 2008 – scientists present the Society of General Microbiology’s autumn meeting with two new studies linking between gum disease and heart disease.

• • A University of Bristol-led presentation shows how the 700 million oral bacteria present a clear risk, with harmful bacteria bonding to protect against the immune system or antibiotics, and increasing chances of heart disease even in the case of fit healthy people (Jenkinson, Kerrigan et al – Uni Bristol/RCS Dublin Sep 08)
  • A study presented by University of Otago’s Professor Greg Seymour finds that oral bacteria causes atherosclerosis, or ‘furring’ of the arteries, as oral bacteria’s similarity to proteins which cause arteries to fur confuses the immune system.

• Jan 2006 – PERICAR trial, a collaboration between Australia’s Sydney Dental Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital and Norway’s University of Oslo. Strong evidence that treating gum disease can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Inflammation in the mouth has a measurable effect in the bloodstream and the rest of the body. Once the gum infection was eradicated the risk of heart attacks and future blood clots were reduced. (Taylor, Tofler et al; Journal of Dental Research, January 2006)

DIABETES

• November 2008 – Columbia University (USA) publishes evidence of links from periodontal disease to type 2 diabetes. Of 9,000 participants in the study 800 developed diabetes. Those with high levels of periodontal disease were twice as likely to develop diabetes. (Demmer, Desvarieux et al, Diabetes Care)

• July 2007 – The Department of Periodontology at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) finds link between gum disease and pre-diabetes, often a precursor to type-2 diabetes. Dr. Carla Pontes Andersen said: “The gum inflammation seen in periodontitis can allow bacteria and inflammatory substances from the dental structures to enter the bloodstream. These processes seem to affect blood sugar control.” (Pontes Anderson, Flyybjerg et al; Journal of Periodontology)

PREMATURE BIRTHS

• December 2008 – researchers in Finland question 328 women on oral health and pregnancy, those who needed urgent dental treatment, suggesting poor oral health, were 2.5 times more likely to miscarry. (Heimonen et al, Blackwell Publishing)

• July 2007 – Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Chile finds link between gum disease and premature births. One in three women at risk of premature labour presented with gum disease bacteria in their amniotic fluid, as well as their mouth.
  • Amniotic fluid surrounds an unborn baby. Scientists believe that any disruption to this fluid could pose a danger to both mother and baby, especially as hormone changes in pregnant women expose a greater risk of gum disease. (Leon, Silva et al; Journal of Periodontology)

STROKES

June 2006 – University of California scientists found that gum disease may contribute to clogged carotid arteries leading to an increased risk of a stroke. Blocked carotid arteries were much more common in people who had gum disease. (Chung, Friedlander et al, General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research)

What are they?

The joint between your upper and lower jaws. just in front of your ears. is called the temporomandibular joint (`TNlJ`for short). Cartilage (a gristly substance) separates the bone surfaces. The jaw joints can occasionally cause problems, which your dentist can help diagnose and treat.

What are the symptoms?

• Clicking or grating noises when you move your jaw.

• Difficulty opening or closing your mouth.

• Swelling or tenderness over the joint.

• Pain in the taco, neck and chewing muscles (some people also have pain in the shoulders and / or back).

• Headaches or migraine. especially first thing in the morning.

• Pam in your ear. possibly with ringing noises.

Clicking or grating noises are usually down to the cartilage jumping when you open your mouth.

The problem can be addressed by:

• cutting up lood into small pieces

• avoiding very chewy foods

• avoiding very hard foods

• trying not to open your mouth too wide for example. when you yawn.

Jaw joint pain is usually the result of increased tension in the jaw muscles Factors involved in this include:

• grinding or clenching your teeth in your sleep or during the day

• habits such as biting your nails or chewing a pen,

• These are often related to fatigue, stress and anxiety.

• Painkillers and sedatives can relieve symptoms in the short term,

Possible solutions to the underlying problem include:

• using relaxation and stress-relieving techniques

• giving up habits that aggravate the condition

• wearing a ‘biteguard’ at night, to stop you grinding your teeth in your sleep.

some people may be experiencing jaw joint problems due to the way their teeth or dentures meet when they bite This can be reso|ved by adjusting the position or the shape of some teeth, by replacing missing teeth with dentures or implants or by making a new denture, as necessary.

What are they?

A filling replaces part of a tooth that has been lost because of decay or through accidental damage.

You may hear the dentist talk about ‘composite`. `glass inomer’ and `compomer` – these are different types of white filling.

What will my dentist do?

Your dentist will:

• usually numb the area around the tooth with an injection – but some small fillings may not need an anaesthetic;

• remove any decay. together with any old filling material. using a small, high-speed drill:

• remove any weak part of the tooth which might break later;

• wash and dry the tooth by blowing water and then air onto it (the dentist will be holding something which looks like a water pistol);

• etch the surface to be restored with a mild acid. to help the filling stick better:

• coat the surface that is to be restored with a bonding agent (which acts like cement) and then place the filling material -this is pushed into the cavity that is to be filled and it is shaped as required:

• harden the filling by pointing a bright light at it, inside your mouth (you will see the dentist and dental nurse protecting their eyes) – this is called `curing`; and trim and polish the filling as necessary.

What are the benefits?

• Unlike silver (amalgam) fillings, white filling material sticks to teeth and can form edges. so it may be effectively used to repair front teeth that are chipped. broken.

• decayed or worn. lt can also be used as a `veneer` to cover marks or discolouration that cleaning won`t remove.

• White fillings are less noticeable than silver fillings, which turn black in the mouth. White fillings come in a range of shades so they can be matched to the colour of your own teeth.

• A tooth needs less preparation for a white filling than for a silver filling.

• White fillings can sometimes be used in back teeth if there is not too much decay or damage. The NHS will not currently pay for white fillings to be placed on biting surfaces in back teeth. This is because white fillings are less durable than silver fillings under the wear and tear of chewing. White fillings are also difficult to place in back teeth. as they need very dry conditions, which can be hard to achieve right at the back of your mouth.

What are they?

A Veneer is a thin layer of tooth-coloured material that is put onto the front of the tooth to make it look better. This is done because the tooth might have been damaged by decay or an accident, or might be badly discoloured for some reason.

What will my dentist do?

Veneers are usually made out of porcelain by a dental technician, You will have to visit the dentist more than once for this type of veneer

• Your dentist will check any fillings in the teeth first.

• A very small amount of natural tooth material needs to be removed -just enough to prevent the veneer making the tooth look or feel bulky, For this reason. it may not be necessary a lot of the dentist to numb the tooth.

• Preparation time will depend on how damaged the tooth is and whether it needs to be built up with a filling first.

• The dentist will need to use a putty-like material to make a mould of your mouth (called an ‘impress|on’), so the dental technician can tell the shape and size of veneer to make for you.

• Your dentist will glue the veneer made by the technician to the tooth when you next visit.

Veneers sometimes come away from the tooth or break if the tooth is knocked. They can sometimes be glued back on, but Will have to be replaced if they are damaged.

Some Veneers me bum UP on the tooth directly using the same material that is used for white fillings The surface of the tooth is roughened with a mild acid Then white tilting material is applied in layers until the teeth look right.

What are the benefits?

• Veneers can greatly improve your appearance They hide imperfections, and you lose very little natural tooth material.

• Veneers also Protect teeth from any more damage Tooth surface can be dissolved away by acid in the mouth (usually from too frequent consumption of certain kinds of food and drink)’ this can make teeth very sensitive to hot and cold. In this situation. veneers can protect the teeth.

• If the tooth is strong, a veneer is often a better option than a crown for improving a tooth‘s appearance,

What are they?

A bridge fixes a replacement tooth (or teeth) to the natural teeth on either side of the gap. Some bridges have crowns at each end.

Others are fixed to the surface of the teeth next to the gap. Sometimes a bridge is only fixed to the tooth on one side of the gap. Bridges are made of metal and porcelain or sometimes just porcelain.

What will my dentist do?

There are several stages in making a bridge

• The dentist uses a soft, mouldable material to take impressions of your mouth. A dental technician makes exact plaster models of your upper and lower teeth and gums, which show how your teeth bite together.

• The teeth that will support the bridge are prepared to take the fixings and to make sure that the bridge is not too bulky.

• Another impression is taken of the teeth and any gaps. and the dental technician uses this to make the bridge. A plastic temporary

bridge or temporary crown may be fitted in the meantime.

• At your final visit. the dentist will check that the bridge fits. make any minor adjustments and then fix it permanently in place. Your dentist or hygienist will show you the best way of keeping your new bridge clean.

What are the benefits?

• A bridge lets you almost forget that you have missing teeth.

• lt can improve the way you look, bite, chew and speak.

• The teeth can be matched to the colour of your own teeth.

• A bridge can last many years. if you keep it clean and if there is no accidental damage.

• Natural teeth are protected from wear and tear: and from moving or tilting out of line, which could cause your teeth to bite together incorrectly.

If you do not want a bridge, you can have a removable partial denture. The dentist will explain how successful a bridge will be. If the supporting teeth are not strong enough, a denture might be better: lf you have just had some teeth taken out, a denture might be made first, with a bridge fitted later when the gum has healed.

Estetica white fillings

If you have some cavities that need to be filled, there are many alternatives to mercury filled amalgam. In particular, you may be interested in having some white fillings that are made from white composite. Aswell as from being safer and more durable, these fillings are far more attractive. Lucky for you, you can obtain this type of filling at Estetica.

At Estetica we will need to remove damaged tooth materials, as well as a tiny bit of healthy tissue. Interestingly enough, far less material will have to be removed in order to insert a white filling as opposed to amalgam. Since less of your natural tooth is removed, you can have peace of mind knowing that the structure will remain in good health for a longer period of time. This may help prevent the need for root canals, as well as many other kinds of procedures that are designed to manage complex tooth and gum issues.

Even though white composite fillings might have many advantages over amalgam, it is important to realize that the procedure for inserting them is a bit different. Among other things, your dentist will need to make sure that no saliva touches your tooth while it is being filled. Depending on where the tooth is, you may feel some discomfort from the shields. That said, the remainder of the procedure tends to be a bit more comfortable than what is used for amalgam. At the very least, the composite filling is not as heavy, or as hot as molten amalgam.

If you need to have cavities filled, it may be to your advantage to ask for white composite instead of amalgam. Aside from reducing your exposure to the mercury found in amalgam, you will also be receiving more durable and attractive filling. You may even find that using white filling will be more useful for preventing dental problems later on in life.

Estetica prevents bad breath

Bad breath is caused by many factors; it is known medically as Halitosis and in its worst form is nasty, but avoidable. All dentists have a hygiene nurse on hand and getting advice is easy, quick and extremely necessary in people with certain medical conditions. Liver disease, Diabetes and Gastric problems can add to the cause of bad breath, as well as a lax regime in oral care. Often a new diet, cutting out alcohol, and taking the correct medication can take care of the other medical problems and bad breath, but most people with bad breath also need the assistance of a dental hygienist.

Bacteria is a necessary part of our diet, it breaks down our food into fat and sugar for our bodies to be able to feed the organs, blood and muscles. This bacteria is also harmful to us, when it has done its job it then evolves into a new entity. This evolutionary bacteria produces acid in our mouths that attack the protective layers of enamel on our teeth, if left unchecked it will eventually turn hard and become tartar, which is harder to remove with conventional methods such as mouthwash, flossing and brushing. Tartar needs to be removed by a method called scaling, this is a procedure done at the dentist usually every 6 months. A dentist in London W1 advises that a regime of easy oral care will go some way to preventing tartar build up, and bad breath. Best of all is the news that our teeth will need less work on them in later years, and gum disease will find it almost impossible to breed in the mouth. We often hear the expression “Rocket Science it ain`t”, well guess what? It `ain`t rocket science` to follow a simple regime and ensure good oral hygiene.

Estetica Screening

Today, over 80% of people that die from cancer would still be alive if they had gotten adequate screening. Therefore, your dentist can play a key role in helping detect oral cancers. In most cases, checking for oral cancer can be done during routine yearly dental exams. These tests are painless and inexpensive.

When you visit your dentist each year, he/she should look and feel for signs of tumours in the soft tissue and gums inside your mouth. You may also be required to have X-rays done every few years in order to make sure that bone tumours are not developing. If you already have other types of cancer, you may need to have X-rays more often.

Strangely enough, many people that have cancer actually suspect it years before they go for screening. Unfortunately, fear, and misunderstanding about cancer therapies prevents people from getting treatment at a time when it will do the most good. Typically, when a cancer is caught in the earliest stages, it may not even be necessary to have extensive chemotherapy and radiation. In particular, when it come to oral cancer, a simple removal of small tumours may ensure a full lifetime without any further resurgences.

There is no question that early screening for cancer, as well as taking preventive measures can save your life. If you smoke, or drink alcohol, you should make having an oral cancer exam your top priority. This will also be an ideal time to ask your dentist about preventaive measures. In many cases, your dentist may be able to give you some advice about vitamins or supplements that can help reduce your risk of developing cancer. He/She can also give you plenty of advice about dental products to stay away from, as well as how to take care of your mouth and teeth in the best way possible.

Estetica Crown

A dental crown is a perfect way to transform our teeth, especially when they have become discoloured through food and drink intake, red wine being a big contributor to this condition. Other damage to teeth that could be solved by a crown can be more severe, and they will often save the tooth making it unnecessary for an implants or a false plate. Cracked teeth are difficult to see without the aid of a magnifying glass, so often we suffer from slight discomfort and risk more severe damage because of it. A crown over the tooth will not only make the tooth look like new, it will hold a crack in check, this also applies to a chipped, or in some cases, a misshapen tooth. Think of it like decorating a room, we strip off the old paper and it reveals old holes, cracks and bad repairs. We rub down the lumps, we fill the holes and wipe over the cracks. Then we line it and put on the final, smooth top paper. Estetica explained that a crown placement procedure isn’t that complicated, but the comparison is good and the end result is the same. After some preparation work to fix the crown permanently to the tooth, the dentist will apply a clean coat of cement which not only holds the crowns in place, but will also go some way to preventing more damage to a cracked or chipped tooth. The new crown can be used in the same way as all your other teeth, and the care of it will be pretty much the same. If a crown becomes loose or falls out then a dentist can easily place it back, and without too much drama. Remember to keep it in some clean water, but don’t scrub it.