Category: Oral Health

New research has sought to find out if early childhood exposure to the chemical fluoride has an impact on the cognitive neurodevelopment of children. The topic of fluoride has been in the news a lot recently, so research into this subject is important. The findings may help to shape public health policy towards fluoride.

One of the most polarizing scientific debates in the modern day revolves around the chemical fluoride – with its impact and whether or not it should be added to the public water supply being heated discussion points.

Research has consistently found that fluoride is good for our oral health. It helps to strengthen our enamel, combat tooth decay, and fight off harmful bacteria [1].

However, there have been concerns raised regarding fluoride’s impact on children, including fears of over-exposure to the chemical and its impact on cognitive development [2].

Now, two senior organizations in oral healthcare have announced the publication of a new study that examines how cognitive development among young children is affected by exposure to fluoride.

Background

As discussed, fluoride is a chemical that has attracted significant debate. The oral health benefits are clear, and it is a key ingredient in both toothpaste and mouthwash.

However, the main controversy surrounding fluoride is its addition to the public water supply in some areas – known as water fluoridation.

In the United States, the debate over water fluoridation has received more attention recently due to the imminent appointment of Robert F. Kennedy as the head of the US Department of Health and Human Services [3].

Kennedy has opposed water fluoridation, and has announced that he plans on advising all US water systems to remove fluoride from the public water supply.

One of the main concerns put forward by opponents of water fluoridation is its impact on children. Moreover, this is especially in relation to exposure in early childhood.

This includes overexposure to fluoride, and concern about its impact on cognitive neurodevelopment. Therefore, new research has been conducted to look into this further.

This important study has been supported by The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) [4].

The Research

The research was conducted by a team from The University of Queensland’s School of Dentistry. Their findings have been published in the Journal of Dental Research [4].

The team sought to investigate potential effects of fluoride exposure on the cognitive neurodevelopment of children. To find this out, the researchers used the 4th edition of the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) [4].

The participants in this study were a sample of Australian adults. The sample data was selected from the National Child Oral Health Study (NCOHS) 2012-14 [4].

When adults completed the NCOHS, they were aged between 6 and 16. Data was collected on oral health behaviours, socioeconomic factors, and residential history – the latter of which was crucial for determining which children had access to fluoridated water [4].

Furthermore, the children were examined by trained examiners to assess dental fluorosis – which is a reliable marker of fluoride intake during early childhood [4].

The sample – consisting of 357 participants – were then contacted to provide an update between 2022 and 2023. By this point, the participants were aged between 16 and 26 [4].

This update had the aim of collecting data on cognitive neurodevelopment using the WAIS-IV – which was administered by trained examiners [4].

The researchers then used multivariable regression models to calculate the results and any associations between the various areas [4].

Interestingly, the results showed no statistical difference between those exposed to fluoride and those that were not exposed to fluoride [4].

In fact, the regression analysis even found that IQ scores were slightly higher among those exposed to fluoride [4]. Although this was a very small difference.

Overall, the researchers concluded that early childhood exposure to fluoride does not have an effect on cognitive neurodevelopment, with their analysis demonstrating this [4].

Summary

The researchers were pleased with the findings. They hope that the results of this research will be able to play a part in shaping healthcare policy over the next few months – which coincides with crucial decisions being made in the United States.

Effie Ioannidou is the President of the AADOCR. She commented on the findings, stating that “the fluoridation of drinking water has been enormously beneficial to oral health over the decades, and to public health more generally” [5].

Continuing, Ioannidou said that “it is crucial that a wealth of scientific evidence is always available should the public ever need reminding of this fact” [5]. She says that this research is an example of this.

While there are some risks with fluoride – such as overexposure – managing the balance between the risks and benefits of fluoride is crucial.

But these findings add to the body of research which suggests fluoride has a positive impact on our oral health, and little to no impact on cognitive neurodevelopment.

Thinking points…

1) Some areas have access to fluoridated water, while others don’t. Regardless of whether you live in an area with fluoridated water or not, it is very important to visit your dentist regularly for a check-up. At a check-up, a dentist can take a thorough look at your oral health, and provide advice and suggest treatment if necessary. We recommend that you book an appointment now!

2) With fluoride being in the news so much recently, some people have decided to change to a non-fluoride toothpaste. This has the potential to cause significant dental problems! Therefore, the contents of this article could be very helpful to many people and help to downplay their fears. You could share this article on your social media channels to raise awareness, it could benefit many people. Why not share the article now?!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign[TM]! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!

References

[1] National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. (2024). Fluoride & Dental Health. Available: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/fluoride. Last accessed: 28th December 2024.

[2] Veneri, F., Vincenti, M., Generali, L., Giannone, M. E., Mazzoleni, E., Birnbaum, L. S., Consolo, U., & Filippini, T. (2023). Fluoride exposure and cognitive neurodevelopment: Systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. 221. 115239. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115239.

[3] Mello-Klein, C. (2024). Eliminating fluoride in water would create health problems beyond oral health, experts say. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-fluoride-health-problems-oral-experts.html. Last accessed: 28th December 2024.

[4] Do, L. G., Sawyer, A., Ha, D. H., et al. (2024). Early Childhood Exposures to Fluorides and Cognitive Neurodevelopment: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study. Journal of Dental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345241299352.

[5] International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. (2024). The impact of early childhood exposure to fluoride on cognitive neurodevelopment. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-impact-early-childhood-exposure-fluoride.html. Last accessed: 28th December 2024.

Whether through a trip, a fall, or something else, children often get injuries. But while most injuries are easily treated, mouth-based injuries require more attention. Injuries to the mouth, including a tooth falling out or a badly bitten tongue, should be treated carefully and in a timely manner. Many parents are unaware of the importance of treating any mouth-based injuries in children quickly.

Amongst the various games, sports and other activities that children participate in, injuries are common. Perhaps they fall off their bike, slip off a climbing frame, or suffer a fall.

While in many cases this results in just a grazed knee or a twisted ankle, in some cases it can be worse. For example, this may result in an injury to the mouth or teeth.

Parents or caregivers are often unprepared for oral injuries. So if this does happen, what should a parent do to help their child?

What are the common causes of mouth injuries in children?

Research shows that approximately 1 in 3 children and teenagers experience dental trauma when they grow up [1].
Common causes of dental trauma include falls, sports injuries, car accidents, fights, and biting hard objects [1]. These can affect children of any age.

Typical injuries include teeth being knocked out, teeth becoming dislodged, a burnt mouth, or a badly bitten tongue. Treatment is often required, especially if a tooth has been knocked out.

Zameera Fida works at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine [1]. She says that “there are few true emergencies in dentistry”, however, “a permanent tooth that’s knocked out is one of them” [1].

Preventing mouth injuries

It is advisable to know ahead of time what to do. You could discuss with your dentist what steps to take if your child injures their mouth.

Moreover, it is useful to know the ages in which children are most vulnerable to injuries. When children are fully mobile for the first time – usually around 2-3, or around the ages of 8-11 when they become more independent, are the most common times that children get mouth injuries [1].

If your child plays any sports, consider purchasing a mouth guard to protect their teeth, or, if necessary, a helmet, as this can protect head and neck too.

Trying to prevent injuries and be proactive can certainly help. After all, the aim is for no child to ever get a bad mouth injury!

What should you do when a child injures their mouth?

The type of injury that the child has is important to know. For example, if a tooth has become dislodged or cracked, but is still intact, putting an ice pack on the injured area and going to an emergency dentist is needed.

However, if a tooth has been entirely knocked out, then if possible, try to find the tooth. Ideally, try to place the tooth back in its socket.

At the very least, make sure that it stays hydrated. For example, place the tooth in milk, or a saline solution. Keeping it dry will not help, with research showing that if a tooth is out of the mouth and kept dry for more than an hour, it can be very difficult to save it [1].

In terms of pain management, the level of pain is likely to depend on how deep the crack is. In terms of a tooth, lying beneath the enamel and dentin is the innermost layer – called the pulp. This contains nerves. Therefore, if the crack has penetrated the pulp, then pain is highly likely.

Regardless of the exact type of injury, if a child is in pain, or has a bad mouth injury, it is important to visit the dentist as soon as possible. When there, a dentist can try to remedy the situation.

If you are unable to get to a dentist, consider going to the emergency room. Emergency rooms have health professionals readily available, who may provide a temporary fix to relieve pain.

A dentist can then carry out the required treatment at a later date – once the situation has been stabilized.

Either way, help is available. Getting treatment for any dental problem is important, and doing so in a timely manner maximizes the chances of the damage being limited.

Thinking points…

1) If you have children, remember that visiting the dentist regularly from a young age is very important. This can help to make children aware of the importance of visiting the dentist and looking after their teeth. If there are any problems, then these can be treated at an early stage. We recommend that children should have at least two check-ups per year. Why not book an appointment now?

2) But remember that it isn’t just children that should be attending the dentist regularly! It is very important that adults too. Check-ups allow a dentist to thoroughly look at your mouth, including the teeth and gums. If any problems are identified, then treatment to fix the issues can be organized. We recommend booking an appointment now!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!

References

[1] Ragovin, H. (2024). One in three kids will injure their mouth or teeth—here’s what to do when it happens. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-kids-mouth-teeth.html. Last accessed: 30th November 2024.

A partnership between large organizations Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona has led to the creation of a new device which should aid improvements in access to care for those with cleft-related problems. The device – called Primescan 2 – has the potential to help a range of people, especially those from low-income and sparsely populated areas.

A partnership between two large organizations has yielded the creation of a new device which will hopefully result in improvements in access to care for those with cleft-related problems [1].

The creation is called the Primescan 2, which is a portable, cloud-based dental scanner which can be used in a variety of locations – improving access to treatment [1].

This update is very positive. Anyone with oral health problems – regardless of their location – deserves to get the treatment they need.

What is a Cleft lip?

Cleft lips are a very common facial birth defect. A cleft is a gap or split in the upper lip. Clefts exist when a baby’s face doesn’t join together properly during development in the womb.

However, those with clefts face problems with breathing, eating, speaking and hearing in their formative years. While these problems typically ease as they get older, some problems can be lifelong without treatment.

Children with clefts typically have poorer oral health than those without. For example, one study found that in children aged 4-6, those born with a cleft had significantly poorer oral health than those who didn’t [2].

Therefore, getting treatment is important. Treatment normally involves corrective surgery. However, not everyone can afford this, especially those from poorer backgrounds.

Fortunately, several charities that aim to help with cleft treatments exist. These charities have helped to provide care for many children around the world.

The World Health Organization have reported that globally, clefts exist in one in every 1,000-1,500 births [3].

The partnership

The aforementioned partnership is between Dentsply Sirona and Smile Train. Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of dental products and technologies [1].

Meanwhile, Smile Train is the largest cleft-focused organization in the world. They have made significant contributions towards cleft-focused research and treatments.

In fact, Smile Train has recently celebrated its 25th anniversary [1]. They have provided over 2 million cleft surgeries in its history [1]. This equates to over 80,000 surgeries a year.

This partnership works well as it combines a manufacturing giant with an organization that has significant reach in terms of finding the right recipients for care.

This is summed up by Andrea Frohning – senior vice-president at Dentsply Sirona. She calls it a “perfect partnership” as Dentsply Sirona “manufacture the equipment that allows Smile Train to reach a broader group of patients who might otherwise be unreachable” [1].

The partnership began in 2021, with Dentsply Sirona committing $5 million in donations, research, development and technological support to assist children and adults affected by clefts [1].

Primescan 2

The biggest achievement of this partnership has been the creation of Primescan 2, which was launched in September 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada [1].

Primescan 2 is a portable and fully cloud-integrated dental scanner that can help dentists to design and create dental restorations – including crowns, bridges, and dentures in-clinic [1].

The dental scanner connects seamlessly with existing CAD/CAM systems, which means it can feasibly be used by any dental practice [1].

Therefore, highly remote and sparsely populated areas which normally wouldn’t have access to such devices can benefit from this technology too [1].

The aim for both organizations in the partnership is to integrate cleft care into the healthcare policies of nations around the world. Subsequently, this would ensure that every child with a cleft can access treatment.

How will this help?

One of the biggest issues in the treatment of cleft patients is the distance that they typically need to travel. This is especially the case in some poorer nations.

Phillip Carroll – senior vice-president of communications at Smile Train – says that “half of our patients travel between two and five hours to reach care facilities, some travel for more than 18 hours” [1].

Therefore, this technology can cut down on travel time and costs, and provide more localized care [1]. This is very convenient for all parties involved.

Its low-cost and transportable nature should mean that it can be used every country around the world. This should help provide care to a huge number of people.

Smile Train hope that their positive work in this industry will continue. The organization estimated that their work has boosted economies by $69 billion in more than 90 countries [4].

The partnership will continue to run in the next few years. The development of Primescan 2 is another innovation that will hopefully result in further improvements in care for those with cleft-related conditions.

Thinking points…

1) Do you have, or know, a child with a cleft lip? If so, this article could be very interesting for them. Smile Train offers excellent resources on their website, especially if you or someone you know is looking into corrective surgery. Why not share this article with your social network now?

2) Many people, including those with a cleft lip, are at an increased risk of oral health problems. However, even if you are not at an increased risk, it is still important for you to look after your oral health. One way of helping your oral health is to attend regular dental appointments. At these appointments, a dentist can take a look at your oral health in detail and provide advice and a treatment plan if needed. We recommend that you book an appointment now!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!

References

[1] Al-Shibeeb, D. (2024). Transforming cleft care: non-profit, dental giant use portable scanners to reach remote communities. Available: https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/news/perfect-partnership-new-tech-allows-smile-train-to-expand-global-cleft-care-with-dentsply-sirona-1003982574/. Last accessed: 14th November 2024.

[2] Chopra, A., Lakhanpal, M., Rao, N. C., Gupta, N., & Vashisth, S. (2014). Oral health in 4-6 years children with cleft lip/palate: a case control study. North American journal of medical sciences. 6 (6): p266–269. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1947-2714.134371.

[3] Putri, F. A., Pattamatta, M., Anita, S. E. S., & Maulina, T. (2024). The Global Occurrences of Cleft Lip and Palate in Pediatric Patients and Their Association with Demographic Factors: A Narrative Review. Children. 11 (3): 322. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children11030322.

[4] Smile Train. (2024). Smile Train Announces Global Cleft Surgeries Boost Economies by $69 Billion in More Than 90 Countries, According to New Report. Available: https://www.smiletrain.org/news/smile-train-announces-global-cleft-surgeries-boost-economies-69-billion-more-90-countries. Last accessed: 14th November 2024.