Dentists, Teeth & Health
An issue not just for us old people…
I have been mulling over this post on teeth, dentistry, and oral health for a while, but I was unsure where it would take me. The meerkats may find me in their African burrow, but here goes.
Problems with teeth can face us all, but particularly as we grow older. Bit of a pun there, I think. I recently wrote a brief moan about what people inflict on their teeth in my post Beam Me Up Scotty in Turkey Teeth. Don't worry. I won't inflict the horror pictures of cosmetic surgery on teeth.
I will hop down the first rabbit 🐇 warren to learn more about the history of dentists and dental hygiene. Rabbits' teeth never stop growing.
Diversion over - Human teeth do not keep growing. Once your second teeth have fallen out, that's it; it's dentures. I know there are other alternatives - see below. Here in the UK, we now have a critical shortage of NHS dentists, with people pulling their teeth out with pliers. There are many articles in the press. Here is one from July 2023 on the lbc radio website. The provision of NHS dental care has eroded over the last few years. The Centre Think Tank has a long article on Dentistry must be brought back into the NHS outlining issues. One of the reports they quote is by The Royal College of Surgeons Faculty of Dental Surgeons, The State of children's Oral Health in England, written eight years ago in 2015, pre-COVID. The statistics provide for grim reading. The situation has not improved over the last eight years. The British Dental Association (BDA) has a brief article Fixing NHS dentistry in England is not rocket science giving helpful information on the crisis and the reasons.
I realise the provision of dental health care varies across the world. I would be interested to hear the perspective both from all readers and other countries.
Dentistry is nothing new. One particular rummage around a badger 🦡 set came up trumps. The History Channel website has an interesting article: How Humans Took Care of Their Teeth Through History. Historians reckon that dentistry has been around since at least 7,000 BC. That's quite a thought. The Colgate website also came up with the goods in their article The History Of Wooden Teeth (And Other Clever Dentures). Japan invented wooden teeth during the 16th century. Wooden teeth continued until the early 20th century. The article mentions George Washington's wooden teeth, which were a myth. Washington's teeth were made of ivory, gold and lead. The last component is very healthy, of course. There were also Waterloo Teeth stolen from the mouths of dead soldiers. I should move on and get out of the badger 🦡 set. I think these prove that the importance of dental hygiene has existed for a long time.
We all know we should brush our teeth twice a day with toothpaste. Here is an advert from the 1950s to lighten the tone for a minute.
We need to look after our teeth. Something, as old people, we can live to regret. My son, when he was 2, jumped up and cracked one of my canines 34 years ago. It is still hanging in there, but I am putting off going because I know it will now have to come out. I can wobble it. Not the satisfying wobble of a 7-year-old getting her tongue under a tooth that is just about ready to come out, happy memories. But the non-satisfying wobble of an old woman about to have a permanent gap. When my children were younger, in the UK, public health bodies placed great importance on ensuring children and adults had healthy teeth. It was an integral part of the NHS. We got checkups every six months. You brushed your teeth twice daily or got the cane - not really, a literary licence. As I grow old, I am very grateful that those measures existed. I still have my teeth, even the canine about to fall out.
Why am I rabbiting and rambling on about dentists? Firstly, my blood boils when anything detrimentally impacts children's health. Particularly when they are simple to rectify with preventative measures. Secondly, poor dental health and hygiene does not just impact obvious oral conditions such as tooth decay or oral cancer but can have severe implications for our overall general health. Some are obvious, such as poor diet because it's painful to eat. An article by the UK charity, the Oral Health Foundation called Five conditions that can be affected by poor oral health: strokes, lung disease and low birth weights. The last point is worrying:
"It is thought that gum disease may raise the levels of the chemicals that bring on labour," adds Dr Atkins. "Research also suggests that women whose gum disease gets worse during pregnancy have an even higher risk of having a premature baby."
"Having gum disease treated properly during pregnancy can reduce the risk of a premature birth."
There are particular issues facing old people. As a curmudgeonly old woman, I was drawn to the following article published in 2021. The authors reviewed policies across nine countries, including the UK, US, China and others - Global Perspectives of Oral Health Policies and Oral Healthcare Schemes for Older Adult Populations. It is an interesting read and established that there is a global shortage of geriatric dentists, with countries not recognising geriatric dentistry as a specialism. One line particularly struck me:
"Oral health, as an essential component of health, is a fundamental human right. It contributes to physical, mental, and social well-being of a person and has a significant impact on the quality of life."
Loneliness and social isolation play a significant part in the poor health of old people. Surely, we should take access to dentists seriously for all.
On the Beckers Dental website, they gave a list of the top 15 countries for dental care. The data comes from the UN Statistical Division and is based on the number of dentists per head of the population. What is interesting is why countries are not on the list. The list is: 1. Sweden, 2. Chile, 3. Greece, 4. Costa Rica, 5. Portugal, 6. Lithuania, 7. Colombia, 8. Estonia 9. Poland 10. Finland 11. Israel, 12. Norway, 13. Italy, 14. Germany, 15. Spain.
I have to mention the elephant in the room. Going to the dentist fills many with fear and horror and is considered something to ‘be put off’.
Here is a quick poll on the dentist:
Old quote of the day:
“I am as old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth” Jonathan Swift 1667 -1745
“Not if you have implants” 😁😁 Jo Linney, February 2024
If you have enjoyed this post, and have not already, please subscribe, or share with others. It will make a curmudgeonly old woman smile, while she still has her canine 🦷. I don't mean the black labrador variety.
As a dentist myself I think you touched on some really good points in this post. The media keep saying that there is a shortage of NHS dentists- which isn't actually true. The real issue lies with the funding available to dental practices that have NHS contracts.
I won't bore you with all the ins and outs but without the funding the practices cannot provide the services necessary - which ultimately means that our hands as dentists are tied. Near enough every dentists wants to provide the best care and treatment to their patients but if the system that is in place doesn't allow for that going what can you do? Either don't provide it at all or offer it privately.
If I had my way I'd love to ensure that every patient can get the treatment they need at the best price but what the media and the general public forget is that every dental practice is a business and for a business to survive it needs to make money.
I'm hopeful that things will get better but real change is needed the question is when?
P.S: you are more than welcome to come and sit in my dental chair should your canine decide to give up the ghost!
Apparently, flossing is the Elixir of Life.....