Current oral health guidelines should be updated, says report
A new report titled Eat, Drink, Think has claimed that public health guidelines for oral health aren’t in line with modern lifestyles.
The report, commissioned by Wrigley Oral Healthcare Programme, found that 83% of respondents eat at least one snack between meals, with 48% eating more than one snack a day. 21% of respondents didn’t give any consideration to the impact on their oral health of what they eat and drink, with 45% believing they could eat and drink what they wanted if they didn’t have any problems with their teeth.
Despite the culture of ‘grazing’ which now exits, no oral health intervention is made after 56% of morning snacks and 60% of afternoon snacks. The report also noted that 22% of respondents often forget to brush their teeth, with a similar number claiming that looking after their teeth is less important than looking after other aspects of their health.
Dr Ben Atkins, a general dental practitioner, stated that although brushing twice a day remains the single most effective preventative oral health measure,” eating and drinking habits have changed and patient’s attitudes to oral health must adapt too.”
“The use of sugarfree gum can supplement existing oral health routines, and this should be reflected in the current guidelines,” he went on to say.
Professor Tim Newton, Kings College London’s Dental Institute, and author of the report foreword, also entered the discussion, saying that “There is a growing need for the NHS to make cost savings and a greater emphasis on preventative care measures to tackle all kinds of medical issues, including dental diseases.”
Professor Newton went on to say that the findings “demonstrate that if there was ever a time for the introduction of a simple and low-cost oral health intervention to be included in public health guidance, it is now.”
