Tag: Dentistry

Most infants will suck their thumb or a pacifier at some point. While most will naturally stop this habit, this isn’t always the case. Unfortunately, these habits can actually have a negative impact on a child’s oral health in the long-term. Now, two doctors have provided advice for parents that need help in stopping these habits in their children. These tips can be very beneficial.

A very common action among young children and babies is what dentists call “non-nutritive sucking” [1].

This behaviour relates to when a baby or young child sucks on a pacifier, thumb, finger(s), or other objects [1].

While these habits can initially be positive for infants, in the long-term it can negatively affect their oral health. Therefore, stopping these bad habits early on is important.

What is non-nutritive sucking?

As outlined above, non-nutritive sucking is the behaviour which involves an infant sucking on an object – normally a pacifier or their thumb [1].

It is important to state that this is a very common action. For example, The National Institute of Health state that approximately 50% of infants such a thumb or finger [2].

It is recommended that parents ensure that these habits end by the time a child turns 3. However, this isn’t always easy – but there are many tips available for helping with this process!

Now, Dr. Katherine Fleming and Dr. Tiana Piscitelli of the University of Connecticut have put together a range of tips to assist parents in stopping these habits from continuing into later childhood [1].

The Top Tips

Here are some of their top tips [1]:

• Use distraction techniques to keep your child busy, such as doing activities like going for a walk or run, playing a game or colouring.

• Use positive reinforcement rather than punishment if the child continues the action.

• When dealing with older children, use this as an opportunity to set goals together, like banning the use of a pacifier or thumb-sucking an hour before meals and bedtime – before working your way up to longer periods.

• Allow the child to be rewarded – which will mean they will be incentivized to stop the habit.

Tips for Thumbs, Fingers and Pacifiers

Fleming and Piscitelli have provided specific advice for when children suck their thumb or fingers [1]:

• When you notice that the child is sucking their thumb or fingers, gently remind them not to do so – rather than shouting at them.

• Furthermore, don’t get too harsh with your child, as thumb or finger sucking is a difficult habit to break, and takes time. Be patient with them.

• Consider covering the child’s hands while they sleep, such as through gloves or mittens. If needed, you could also buy a finger/thumb guard.

• Discuss the situation with your dentist, as they can offer advice or even an appliance if needed.

Finally, the duo have also offered advice for those sucking on pacifiers [1]:

• A great way of weaning a child off of a pacifier is to gradually decrease the size of it over time. You can cut small parts off over a few weeks, which will help your child to slowly become accustomed to life without a pacifier.

• However, sometimes a “cold turkey” approach is better. One way of doing this is to “trade” the pacifier in for a special toy. This is best done with some notice, so that the child is aware that they will soon lose the pacifier.

• It is also possible to replace the pacifier with a different comfort item. For example, this could be a teddy bear, extra pillow, or a blanket.

One of the main over-arching tips is to be firm if your child resists. Being firm and not backing down is important, otherwise this makes the process become harder.

What are the dangers of long-term sucking?

As mentioned earlier, it is important that these habits are stopped, as they can negatively impact a child’s oral health in the long-term.

Long-term sucking can impact the alignment of teeth, as they are likely to have been pushed in different directions. Moreover, the front teeth may stick out more [3].

Speech and the shape of the roof of the mouth can also be affected by long-term thumb sucking [3]. These can then cause eating difficulties too.

These issues can result in the requirement of orthodontic treatment, like braces, to correct teeth positioning. Moreover, tooth decay becomes likelier due to the increase in bacteria entering the mouth [4].

Summary

It is important to not get too worried about sucking, as most children naturally outgrow this habit. But there are definitely ways of helping them, as outlined above.

Having conversations about oral health is important, as it can make children understand its importance from a young age. This can start by gently talking about the usefulness of stopping this habit.

As outlined above, there are several ways that you can try and stop this habit from occurring. But as discussed, dentists will always be there to provide further support if needed.

Thinking points…

[1] Are you struggling to stop your child from sucking on a pacifier or their thumb? If so, consider speaking to your child’s dentist about this. They will be able to provide advice and if needed – there are fixed or removable appliances which they can offer. Therefore, this can help to break your child out of their habit. We recommend that you speak to your dentist soon!

[2] Making children aware of the importance of oral health from an early age is crucial. One of the best ways of doing this is to attend regular dental appointments with your child. They will be able to see you get examined and realize its importance. It is also vital for your oral health to have regular check-ups! We recommend booking a check-up soon!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its 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 dental clinic at least twice per year for a regular dental check-up. At these check-ups, we provide a comprehensive review of a patient’s oral health. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For example, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To strengthen your oral health, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly.

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

Moreover, the fees of our treatments at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This ensures transparent and fair pricing, with no hidden costs.

We hope to see you soon at our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Chandler, C. (2024). Breaking detrimental oral habits in young kids. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-detrimental-oral-habits-young-kids.html. Last accessed: 1st March 2024.

[2] Fukuta, O., Braham, R. L., Yokoi, K., & Korusu, K. (1996). Damage to the primary dentition resulting from thumb and finger (digit) sucking. ASDC Journal of Dentistry for Children. 63 (6): p403-407. PMID: 9017172.

[3] American Dental Association. (2024). Thumbsucking. Available: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/thumbsucking/. Last accessed: 1st March 2024.

[4] Cerny, R. (1981). Thumb and finger sucking. Australian Dental Journal. 26: p167-171. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1834-7819.1981.tb03938.x.

While oral health conditions like Tooth Decay and Gum Disease are preventable, they are very common conditions. Now, a report has looked into global expenditure on preventable oral health conditions – with concerning results. The findings underline the importance of having strong oral health. It also shows the financial burden caused by the treatment of preventable oral health conditions.

Oral health conditions like Tooth Decay and Gum Disease are preventable through measures like regular toothbrushing and flossing, eating healthily, and regular trips to the dentist.

However, for numerous reasons, these conditions are very common. In fact, a recent report has revealed that almost 5% of entire global health expenditure is spent on preventable oral health conditions [1].

This finding shows that many people are neglecting their oral health, and that preventable conditions are proving to be burdensome to healthcare costs.

Commissioned Report

These findings have been produced in a report called “Time to put your money where your mouth is: Addressing inequalities in oral health”, which was commissioned by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) [1].

This report looked in detail at the burden caused by gum disease and tooth decay [1]. The report aimed to propose a plan that could be implemented to try and address in the inequality in oral healthcare [1].

The report pointed out that tooth decay affects more than two billion people around the world, whereas gum disease affects over one billion people [1]. This emphasizes the need for action in terms of improving oral healthcare.

Creation of a cost calculator

Moreover, the report also involved the creation of a tooth decay prevention and care cost calculator. This calculator sought to find out the direct treatment costs that these conditions cause [1].

Incredibly, direct treatment costs totalled $357 billion per year, which represents 4.9% of global health expenditure [1]. These huge numbers underline the high costs involved in treating preventable conditions.

Additionally, the calculator suggested that severe tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss contributed significantly to a loss in productivity. Therefore, this resulted in the worldwide economy losing an estimated $188 billion per year [1].

Costs associated with tooth decay

Additionally, the calculator estimated the long-term direct costs associated with managing tooth decay in those aged 12-65 in six countries – Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia and the United Kingdom [1].

This revealed some interesting results. The report found that the overall cost caused by tooth decay varied from $10.3 billion in Italy to $36.2 billion in Brazil [1]. The authors of the report explained that this difference was in part due to the range in population sizes in these six nations [1].

Interestingly, the largest costs per person due to tooth decay were in the United Kingdom – with a total of $22,910 per person. The United Kingdom has recently been gripped by a dental crisis – leading the British government to admit an “urgent and fundamental reform of NHS dentistry” is needed [2]. Conversely, Indonesia featured the lowest amount at $7,414 per person [1].

How can the situation be improved?

The findings are concerning, but do at least provide researchers with the statistics that underline the need for improvement in the prevention of oral health conditions.

Professor Nicola West is the secretary general at the EFP. She says that the report offers “a timely reminder that there is no overall health without oral health” [3].

Moreover, West has called on “policy makers and budget holders to put their money where their mouth is” and make changes as soon as possible [3].

The authors suggest that targeting common risk factors like tobacco and alcohol use, and diet, that both oral health and wider physical health problems like cardiovascular conditions, can be helped [1].

Furthermore, the authors point out that there are simple preventable measures, which includes brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, applying topical fluoride and strategically targeting different stages of tooth decay development to take action [3].

The findings of the report are certainly concerning. It emphasizes the importance of oral health, and underlines how action is needed to tackle the current situation.

Thinking points…

1) As this article has shown, it is very important to try and prevent oral health problems. Prevention is easier than needing to receive treatment. Therefore, remember to have excellent oral hygiene and attend regular dental check-ups. These check-ups offer a dentist the chance to take a look at your oral health and provide advice and treatment options if needed. We recommend that you book an appointment now!

2) This article has also looked at gum disease, which is an incredibly common condition. While there is no cure for gum disease, there are treatments that can help. These include root planing and scaling. These can help the health of your gums and wider oral health. You could have a discussion with your dentist about these options if needed!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its 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] The Economist Group. (2024). Time to put your money where your mouth is: Addressing inequalities in oral health. Available: https://www.efp.org/fileadmin/uploads/efp/Documents/Other_publications/EIxEFP_-_Oral_Health_white_paper_FINAL.pdf. Last accessed: 16th February 2024.

[2] UK Parliament. (2023). Fundamental reform of NHS dentistry needed to end a ‘crisis of access’. Available: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/news/196443/fundamental-reform-of-nhs-dentistry-needed-to-end-a-crisis-of-access/. Last accessed: 16th February 2024.

[3] European Federation of Periodontology. (2024). Treatment of preventable gum disease, caries and tooth loss totals 4.9% of global health care expenditure: Report. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-treatment-gum-disease-caries-tooth.html. Last accessed: 16th February 2024.

While many of us know about the link between oral and physical health, there is limited knowledge on if oral health is related to psychological wellbeing – especially in older adults. Now, a research team has sought to find out if a link exists, and how this connection happens. The findings were very positive, and underline the importance of oral health.

Many of us are aware of the link between oral health and physical health. Past research has consistently shown that strong oral health has a positive effect on physical health.

However, in positive news, the link appears to extend further, with new research suggesting that strong oral health can improve psychological wellbeing in older adults [1].

This new research places further emphasis on the importance of oral health. Boosting both physical and psychological health is very beneficial.

Background

As mentioned, there is a well-documented connection between oral and physical health. Poor oral health can have a negative impact on physical health.

However, there is limited knowledge on any impact that oral health has on psychological wellbeing. Therefore, this is a topic area that is of interest to researchers.

Moreover, in Japan, where the research took place, there is a rapidly aging population, meaning that more focus is being placed on geriatric care. Therefore, the researchers were keen on looking at this topic area [1].

Past research shows that as we age, our psychological wellbeing often declines [2]. This often results in low mood, anxiety, sleeping problems and a lack of motivation among other areas.

Therefore, psychological wellbeing is hugely important. For example, it has been shown to increase life expectancy, improve quality of life, and provide general happiness [3].

The Research

The research was carried out by a team at Okayama University, Japan. Their findings have been published in the PLOS ONE journal [1].

In the research, the team examined a range of oral-related conditions. They focused on 218 older adults that visited a dental clinic on Okayama [1]. For the purposes of this study, “older adults” refer to those aged 60 and over.

The team looked at indicators of strong oral health. This meant that they were looking at the bacterial load on the tongue, chewing ability and the swallowing ability of the patients [1].

Then, they compared these measures to the self-reported psychological wellbeing of the same patients. Moreover, they also asked about the nutritional status and environmental characteristics of the participants [1]. For example, these characteristics include their habits, social life and medical history [1].

The researchers were able to take all of this into consideration. They then looked for patterns between the different types of data in order to reach their conclusions.

The findings showed that oral health is related to nutritional status, which then has an impact on wellbeing in older adults [1]. So, oral health does have a positive impact on psychological wellbeing.

The researchers explained this finding. They pointed out that oral health plays a substantial role in determining which food or drink a person can consume. Therefore, this impacts the nutritional intake of a person, thereby influencing their overall health [1].

Moreover, the research also showed a link between oral health and a person’s environmental characteristics, including their social life. The researchers explained this by how poor environmental characteristics were associated with psychological stress, resulting in poor habits like smoking and poor diet developing [1]. Therefore, this would increase the risk of cavities and gum disease.

Summary

Overall, the main finding was that oral health has a positive impact on wellbeing through its effects on nutritional status, and its consequential effect on a person’s environment.

This research underlines the importance of oral health. Therefore, it is important for us all – especially older adults – to invest time and effort into looking after our oral health, as it can have a range of benefits.

Senior Assistant Professor Noriko Takeuchi led the study, and confirmed the findings. He said that “the results highlight that good oral health” can improve “psychological wellbeing in the long run” [4].

The research team were understandably pleased with the outcome. Furthermore, this is also very positive for humans– and shows that by looking after our oral health, strong wellbeing can follow!

Thinking points…

1) The researchers pointed out that poor habits, such as a high consumption of sugar, or smoking, can impact our oral health. If you do have poor habits, try to get rid of these. A great way of reviewing your oral health is to attend a dental check-up. At a check-up, a dentist can take a look at your oral health and provide advice and treatment if necessary. We recommend booking an appointment now!

2) If you are reading this and you or your parents are aged over 60, or you have friends in this age group, these findings are very relevant! With this in mind, you could share this article with them now. This can help to improve their psychological wellbeing, which would be very helpful to them! Feel free to share the article right away!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its 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] Takeuchi, N., Sawada, N., Ekuni, D., & Morita, M. (2023). Association between oral condition and subjective psychological well-being among older adults attending a university hospital dental clinic: A cross-sectional study. PLOS ONE. 18 (11): e0295078. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295078.

[2] Snowden, M., Dhingra, S. S., Keyes, C. L. M., & Anderson, L. A. (2010). Changes in Mental Well-Being in the Transition to Late Life: Findings From MIDUS I and II. American Journal of Public Health. 100 (12): p2385-2388. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105%2FAJPH.2010.193391.

[3] Vazquez, C., Hervas, G., Rahona, J. J., & Gomez, D. (2009). Psychological well-being and health. Contributions of positive psychology. Annuary of Clinical and Health Psychology. 5: p15-27.

[4] Okayama University. (2024). Study finds oral health indirectly influences subjective psychological well-being in older adults. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-oral-health-indirectly-subjective-psychological.html. Last accessed: 1st February 2024.