A Bit Of A Hoo-Ha

“The Tooth And Nothing But The Tooth”
        By Chris “Dr Smile Maker” Branfield     

A Bit Of A Hoo-Ha

            

Hello again, I hope you are well.  I can’t believe it’s three weeks into January already.  We’ve hit 2017 at quite a pace and there are loads on. Tomorrow my team and I are off to Manchester to a Dental Customer Care Conference and a Charity Ball to raise money for Dental Mavericks.  We are also busy organising our second 70’s disco fundraiser for Dental Mavericks at Armstrong’s Social Club in Beverley on February 10^th.  There might be a few tickets left if you fancy it.  Last year was a good laugh.

So What’s All The Hoo-Ha

Well, it’s toothpaste.  Colgate toothpaste to be more precise. There is an anti-bacterial chemical called Triclosan that has been in Colgate Total Toothpaste since about 1997.  This toothpaste was considered the benchmark in modern toothpastes because if it.  Triclosan was also put into hand soaps and gels as an anti-bacterial agent.  Now here’s the rub.  Quite recently the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned Triclosan from soaps and gels.  The reason is on health grounds.  It was found that Triclsan is absorbed through the skin and can cause endocrine problems and also affect he immune system.  Other studies have shown it to cause tumours in mice.  Now mice are not humans so there isn’t a direct correlation.  However, Triclosan is still in Colgate Total toothpaste for some reason even though the mouth allows quicker absorption.  Colgate argued that there are loads of studies to show its safety.  The FDA took this board and concluded that the benefits may well outweigh the risks.  Now, Triclosan is not in Colgate sensitive as far as I know.  I’m not trying to scare monger at all, I just find it all very interesting and thought you may want to know or research yourself.

Now For Some Optimism

Fillings could be consigned to history after scientists found that a drug given to Alzheimer’s patients can help teeth regrow and repair cavities. Researchers at King’s College London found that the drug Tideglusib stimulates the stem cells contained in teeth so that they generate new dentine, the material under the enamel.  They discovered that the drug heightened the activity of stem cells in the dental pulp so they could repair 0.13mm holes in the teeth of mice.

A drug-soaked sponge was placed in the hole and then a protective coating was applied over the top. As the sponge broke down it was replaced by dentine, healing the tooth.

Now, don’t get over excited just yet, a 0.13mm hole is very big and easy to protect.  I am intrigued to see how it fairs with bigger holes and how they protectively coat these so there is no wash out of the drug.  It all looks very promising though.

       

 This King's College image shows tooth repair after four weeks (left) and after six weeks (right).

There Is Still Hope

I saw Hull City beat Bournmouth 3-1 last weekend.  It was great!.   There is still hope of staying up if we can keep sticking it in the net.   Come on lads, get stuck in.  Oh, I thought the City Of Hull Celebrations on Queen Victoria Square was really good. Very stirring.

Until next time.   Take care and be good. 

Chris Branfield is Principal Dentist at Castle Park Dental Care, Castle Villa, 28 Castle Road, Cottingham, telephone 01482 772550.  He has been in dental practice for 24 years and has a special interest in life changing, pain free dentistry with dental implants, rapid teeth straightening and cosmetic dentistry. And, not only that Chris is founder member and trustee of Dental Mavericks charity- ending the daily dental pain of Moroccan kids. For more patient success stories and Chris’s charity work go here now www.castleparkdental.co.uk