Ballerup municipality's dentistry

Assens municipality's dentistry

The municipality of dentistry

Allerød municipality's dentistry

Albertslund municipality's dentistry

Aalborg municipality's dentistry

Aabenraa municipality of dentistry

Professor advises against the recommendation of sugarless gum

The EU experts have recognized chewing gum with xylitol as a preventive against dental caries. But now, warns a professor of dentistry in Copenhagen against overfortolke the message that sugar-free gum with xylitol reduces risk of tooth decay in children.

A group of experts from the The European Food Safety Authority has determined that the xylitoltyggegummi reduces the risk of cariesudvikling in children. And thus, there should be scientific evidence to say that sugar-free chewing gum containing polyols (xylitol and sorbitol), decreases the risk of having gaps in the teeth.

But now warns professor Svante Twetman from the Dentistry in Copenhagen, as Tandlægebladet have asked, against an over-interpretation of the message that sugar-free gum with xylitol reduces risk of tooth decay in children, and the professor does not think that we should recommend to the Danish children to chew gum to avoid cavities in the teeth.

Industrial interests and insufficient documentation
Svante Twetman points out that the EU experts ' conclusion is based on the reports, which in many cases is initiated on the basis of industrial interests. And that the studies that underlie this conclusion are of highly varying quality, scientifically speaking. Bl.a. is previous work and field studies from Latin america included, and it is the study, which, according to Twetman lacks validity for Danish conditions.

Professor Svante Twetman believe, therefore, that the documentation for xylitols preventive effect in relation to the holes in the teeth is insufficient. And he misses in addition, a health economic evaluation of chewing gum against the holes. A careful calculation shows that the prevention of just a single hole will require 4.000 – 5.000 pieces of chewing gum. And since the risk of cavities in the teeth in Danish children is already very low, there is not a need to mitigate this risk with xylitoltilskud.

No recommendations with lack of knowledge
Svante Twetman will not, however, exclude the possibility that sugar-free chewing gum with xylitol and sorbitol can have a beneficial effect on tandsundheden. It stimulates the spytudviklingen, and it can not be excluded that xylitol and sorbitol can affect the oral environment in a positive direction.

Svante Twetman suggest it as a possible complement to the treatment, one usually uses in order to stop the development of a hole in a tooth in children and young people with a high risk of tooth decay, for example fluorbehandling and varnishing. But he emphasizes at the same time, that as long as there are gaps in our knowledge of e.g. optimal dosage, there may not be a general recommendation of chewing gum with xylitol and sorbitol.

---

The entire article can be read in Tandlægebladet no. 6 2009 or on www.tandlaegebladet.dk

Water with lemon juice etches the teeth

Cola, fruit Juices and smoothies are far from the only drinks you should be careful with, if you want to avoid acid injuries to the teeth. Water with lemon or limeskiver is almost just as bad for the teeth such as cola.

Summer, sun and cold drinks
Now summer is approaching rapidly, increasing the need for cold drinks to make the thirst with along with the temperature. In cafes and restaurants is ice-cold tap water with fresh lemon or limeskiver become very popular among the young people, as a “healthy” alternative to the often sukkerfyldte soft drinks, which can also be very acidic.

But you drink citronvand more than once per day, you risk the enamel on your teeth corrode and after a single summer's consumption, you can look forward to a hefty bill from the dentist in several thousands of dollars, writes Urban. One of the country's leading researchers in the field of dental disease, overtandlæge Ulla Pallesen call tanderosion for a regular epidemic.

The etching of the teeth
“It damages the teeth in nearly the same degree as the cola. The more sliced lemon, in a pitcher of water, the more the enamel is etched there. There is no doubt that the pH-value smoking significantly less than the 5.5, which our teeth can withstand,” says Ulla Pallesen, who daily works with and teaches in the dental diseases at Copenhagen University, for Urban. “The enamel is etched slowly, but surely, even if no one marks or can see in the beginning,” explains overtandlæge Ulla Pallesen on.

Her research shows that the etching of the teeth is a major problem among young people under 30 years of age. And she estimates that the frequency of the disorder is second only to dental caries and periodontal disease. The first and only study on the number of acid injuries among teenagers was made in 2001 in the municipality of Aarhus in cooperation with The Municipal Dentistry in Aarhus. This study showed that every sixth between 15 and 17 years old had severe acid injuries to the teeth.

How can one protect themselves from acid injuries
You can't keep from citronvand, and other acidic beverages, you should limit intake to a maximum of once per day. The worst thing you can do is to drink it frequently and at regular intervals through the day, as it takes time for the mouth and the teeth the pH value to stabilise again. The consequence of the frequent acid bath in of the teeth comes creeping, and you can't completely brush-free for them. Indeed, one should avoid to brush the teeth right after consuming acidic drinks, and instead of rinsing the mouth with clean water immediately after use. Acidic beverages should not be consumed with small sips over a long time, but should instead be enjoyed quickly or with a straw.

You should also be aware that the excessive eating of sour fruits – such as lemons and oranges, as well as chewing of sour candy – as f.ex. wine gums – can dissolve the enamel and allow acid injuries.

Tandsundheden among Greenlandic children alarming

Tandsundheden among Greenlandic children and young people is so poor that small children down to one year of age will get pulled mælketænderne out.

“We must often remove the bad baby teeth because of advanced caries in young children,” says dentist Jørgen Ramstedt Jensen in Tasiilaq.

“If you do not take care of your teeth, you can get inflammation, and it goes not only the teeth but also the rest of the body gets affected,” says dental assistant Johanne Hansen to the CNTS.

A few years ago was the regular tandskylning with fluoride stopped in Tasiilaq, and children and young people have not been given regular dental examination or instruction in toothbrushing.
Tasiilaq rates now on, to be able to offer all primary school children regular dental examination and instruction in tooth brushing. And restores now the regular fluoride-rinses in children.

Nationwide cariesstrategi
The Greenland home rule government launched in 2006 a national strategic plan against caries called Cariesstrategi Greenland 2008 – 2012as part of the The Public Health Programme Inuuneritta. The strategic plan aimed, among other things, to step up efforts for the prevention of dental caries, and it should be mandatory by 1. January 2008, with the systematic tandplejetilbud to the population, or at least a systematic tandplejetilbud for children and young people, where there may not be sufficient capacity or economy to the entire population.

The National Tandbørstedag
As a direct cause of the poor dental health of the population of greenland, the Greenland home rule the 18. april 2007, as the first country in the world, a national tandbørstedag. The National Tandbørstedag in Greenland is 18. april.

"Previous page — Next page "