Globe Health Tours News

May 27: A study conducted by the researchers at the Imperial College London has tried to reveal the link between gum disease and cancer risk. As part of the study the research team considered the health record of 50,000 men and opined that the immune system weakness might be the reason for both illnesses. The British Dental Association also stressed the need for regular check-ups.

Most of the Britons are found to suffer from some kind of gum problem caused by bacterial attack and this problem is more prevalent among smokers. The new research has revealed that even among non-smokers the gum disease could be considered as the bigger risk of cancer.

The research team was led by Dr Dominique Michaud who led the research opined that, “The long lasting gum disease might be the clear indication of weakening immune system and that makes the person vulnerable to both periodontal disease and hematological cancers. The bacteria from the gum might have the ability to cause cancer in the tissues of mouth or throat when swallowed.”

He further added that, “Only more researches on this topic will bring a clear picture about the real depth of the issue. Now it is premature for the patients with periodontal diseases to check for cancer symptoms it is advisable to consult a dentist for this purpose.”

While commenting on this a spokesman of the British Dental Association said: “Dentists were trained to spot cancer in the mouth they were becoming more aware about the impact of gum health in determining overall health of a person. They are capable of referring patients when they come across serious gum disease in otherwise healthy patients.”

This research has far-reaching significance as it hints about the possibility of gum disease to develop into cancer threat.

May 21: While commenting on this the chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter said: “Fruit smoothies are more preferred by people now-a-days this is due to its health related benefits and inimitable taste. Fruit smoothies have high level of sugar and acid that pose threat to the teeth. This particular research had tried to find the link between dental problems and an array of health issues like heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes.

On the other hand, a survey conducted by the British Dental Health Foundation and the company Oral B among 1000 people has found 30% of people opined that fruit smoothies are actually good for the teeth.

Dr Carter further added that, “Fruit smoothies will encourage the habit of consuming more fruits. High concentration of sugar and acids in smoothies are capable of damaging the teeth if sipped throughout the day. Constant sipping of the juice will make the protective enamel to erode and creates pain and sensitivity, which leads to tooth decay.”

To get rid of the attack dentists advice to brush teeth before drinking fruit juice, as it will protect the teeth from damaging effect of the acid. Brushing soon after drinking is not recommended as the enamel will be weakened by the acid contained in the fruit juice.

Mar 17: In what could be considered as a remarkable research Scientists have found that teenagers are more prone to get affected by tooth related problems like tooth erosion and other dental diseases due to their habit of drinking soda, sport and energy drinks.

The porous quality of the permanent teeth is considered as the prime reason for this.
Similar research conducted earlier had also found that the low pH value in energy drinks will lead to enamel erosion and there after teeth decay.

The findings of the research were published in the research journal named General Dentistry and it also pointed out that the pH level is not the only reason for dental erosion. According to the study the buffering capacity of energy drinks has an important role to play in the dental erosion process.

Mar 4: The most worrying ailment that affects children is none other than dental cavities. Children are more prone to this disease as their milk teeth are not capable of resisting the cavity causing germs. The findings of a study conducted by the Centre for Disease Control Division of Health revealed that more than 50 percent of the children belonging to the age group of 5 to 9 have had a minimum of one cavity or filling. At least 78 percent of 17 years olds have been affected by tooth decay. The statistics also revealed that the children and adolescents living in poverty stands two fold chance of getting affected by tooth decay than the children from well-to-do family.

Developing cavities is not a simple issue it will gradually affect the health of the children. Initially it cause pain, affects their speech, self image and gradually affects the overall health of the children. So, due importance has to be given. Another interesting fact is that the dental related illness is considered as the reason behind 51 million missed school hours per year. With the development in the field of dentistry 90 percent of tooth decay is preventable by simply following healthy diet and by giving proper care to your teeth and gums. These measures have to be taken right from the young age.

“Dental cavities in children are more common than asthma. Prevention is the best way to get rid of it. Visiting the dentist right from the age of one will help in identifying the problem when it is at the developing stage. Following proper dental health care and visiting dentist at frequent intervals will effectively restrict the dental problems.” said Dr. Deborah Studen-Pavlovich, professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry in the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Dental Medicine.

Parents should have to take special care during the first few years to help the children get rid of the problems posed by dental cavities. Babies should not be allowed to fall asleep with bottles of milk, juice or other sugary liquids in their mouth. As the child sleep the salivary secretion process becomes slower and that allows the sugary liquids to deposit on the teeth and gums and that leads to tooth decay.

Feb 25: Dentist’s advice to stay away from sweets as precaution against tooth decay will no longer deserves any bearing, as the new study conducted by the researchers at University of California, Los Angels (UCLA) is expected to pave way for tooth-friendly lollipops.

Wenyuan Shi, the dentistry professor and microbiologist has extracted an element from licorice root that has the ability to resist a main bacterium that causes tooth decay. This extract is successfully infused in lollipops that have the ability to resist Streptococcus mutans, a common bacterium that could release harmful cavity-causing acids.

While commenting on this Wenyuan Shi said: “Only 15 milligrams of licorice powder per lollipop eliminates 99.9 per cent of these bacteria in the mouth within five to 10 minutes. The holes in the cavities on the outermost layer of the teeth are due to the acids produced by the bacteria in the mouth. This lollipop is considered as an effective remedy against cavity formation.”

Right from the beginning of the project the expectations are high and the researchers focussed on medical practices rather than surgical approaches to tackle tooth decay. Other hurdles faced by the researchers are that the lollipops have to please consumers along with attracting positive feedbacks.

The lollipop form is considered more effective than the candy or gum form. And for candy and gum the ingredient could only be used in limited quantity that makes it less effective than the longer-lasting lollipop. Young children and the elderly are more vulnerable to cavities as according to a statistics released by the US Centres for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health.

The lollipops are part of the emerging trend of medicined dentistry, which tries to find remedy for dental problems using medicines rather than surgical procedures. The lollipop is made available online at www.c3-jian.com. It is expected to be available in the medical stores next year onwards.

Feb 20: Some among the patients are hesitant to consult doctors because of their fear to face the ambiance of the hospital and complication in the treatment procedure. As an attempt to minimise the fear of those patients, dentists are considering additional measures to give a clear picture about the dental treatment procedures by remoulding the hospital background as more patient friendly one. Entertainment facilities and spa-type refreshment are the options that are under consideration.

According to a study conducted among dental patients in the US shows that about one quarter of the adults are experiencing fear to visit dentist. The advancement in technology which includes numbing gels, anaesthetics and sedatives has the capability to minimise pain to a great deal, all these development has failed to alleviate the fear of these patients. The procedure of dentistry has also been made comfortable than before.

Some dentists provide facilities to make the patients enjoy music and watch television as an attempt to make them feel relaxed and to keep their nerves off the dentist’s chair. One dentist opined that he is thinking about including spa services at his dental clinic as he himself had fear to visit dentist during his childhood. The Sheboygan Smile Centre in Wisconsin includes aromatherapy and music in all rooms and the patients are allowed to customise as according to their taste.

Spa trend in dentist office is gaining prominence in the US and the rate will vary as according to the added facilities included in it. In the year 2003 the American Dental Association (ADA) in its report expressed that more than half of the 427 dentists surveyed at the annual meeting provided spa services in one form or other to impress their patients. ADA also stressed on the point that proper treatment of the patients is the main priority other than the added features. Gaining trust of the patients and maintaining good patient/dentist relationship is the core value of dentistry.

Jan, 10: Periodontitis is a kind of disease that affects gum, teeth and areas around the teeth. If a periodical disease like Periodontitis is being diagnosed special care has to be taken in order to prevent it spreading any further. While considering dentistry the experts of the field suggest that before planning for a detailed dental health plan it is better to have a thorough check-up about the condition of your teeth and the gums.

Surgery or further medication will be prescribed as according to the severity of the disease along with the condition of teeth and gums. Diagnosing Periodontitis involves several steps that start from the scaling of affected area. It is the deep cleaning procedure that makes use of special ultra sonic instruments that break away the calcified plague and tartar from different regions of the teeth. Further root planning is carried out to get rid of the rough edges on the tooth root where there are chances for bacteria to get accumulated.

One of the main symptoms of this disease is the bone decay that happens all over the tooth structure that affects the height of the bone. Antibiotics are also effectively used to treat different form of periodontal disease. Another option available is the anti-calculus solutions and tartar control toothpastes that are capable of breaking the tartar deposited in and around gum lines. Severity of the periodontal disease will be judged using a tool called a periodontal probe. The depth of the pocket is identified using this.

The periodontist or dental care specialist will then find out the severity of the periodontal disease with a tool called a periodontal probe. Using this equipment, the depth of the existing pockets is measured. If the periodontal probe is beyond 3 mm below the gum line then the periodontitis is considered as less severe. If the pocket is deeper than 3mm then it is advisable to have a professional help.

Surgery is recommended if the depth is 6-7 mm. Some cosmetic dental treatments like dental implants and laser therapy are used to cure periodontal disease. Special care has to be taken to get rid of the post surgical infection as recommended by the dentist. GHT

India with its huge wealth of best quality hospitals and treatment facilities that ranges from traditional Ayurvedic treatment to most modern surgical treatments remains the top priority destination that cater to the needs of medical tourists. The attracting feature of getting treatment in India is the lower treatment cost as compared to the developed countries without any compromise in the quality of the treatment. The success rate is also high and the service level is also up to the highest standard as it evolved from the rich heritage.

There are adequate numbers of hospitals in India that are best in their standard and are equipped with all major technical equipments for the satisfaction of the patients. The sound infrastructure and the professional management will add great value to the treatment of the patients from abroad.

Among lot other treatments dental treatment in India is gaining prominence among the foreign visitors as the treatments in their home countries is more expensive as they will not be refunded the treatment cost under the national health schemes. While in India the cheaper treatment cost will allow them get the best treatment by paying lesser cost.

A dentist in the US charges $300-$400 for a filling, at the same time that same treatment in India would cost $20-$30. Each year thousands of visitors both from the USA and Europe arrives in India for the purpose of tourism along with the medical treatment. The southern state of Kerala is the ideal destination for tourism and it also gained reputation for its extensive treatments related to Dentistry.

There are several best quality hospitals that hold the credit of competent dental surgeons and other experienced visiting consultants. The extensive dental treatment packages available in India that include smile designing and dental implants. With world class hospitals India offers tremendous scope for medical tourism in general and dental healthcare in particular.

As if it was news to anybody, the UK Guardian newspaper reports on the growing number of UK citizens fleeing the crisis in publicly funded dentistry by travelling to the East for their dentistry.

People are travelling for necessary but expensive dentistry or in pursuit of cosmetic changes - the better smile. The key treatment is probably dental implants which are very expensive in the UK and at least 50-70 percent cheaper as you travel to central Europe. The most popular centre is Hungary where a single dental implant might cost around £520.

However, the numbers quoted are very small (20,000) against the overall population and one can only assume that growth is going to be huge in the next few years.

Another month another country joins the circus called medical tourism. A little unfair to Croatia as its dentists were early adopters of foreign patients and have exploited the difference in price between Croatia and Western Europe.

There is not much sign of other procedures being performed in Croatia and as a whole the country suffers from poor air connections.

No surprise that most of the patients are Italians crossing the nearby border.

Croatia has the advantage of a great coastline of course for summer visitors but otherwise it is price war with the most established Hungarian practices.

more on the Croatian practitioners is here