At the recent British Dental Conference held in Liverpool, Colgate, in partnership with the British Dental Association, unveiled the 2010 Colgate Oral Health Month initiative. Colgate Oral Health Month is a leading UK campaign for promotion of improved oral health. The theme for the 2010 campaign is ‘Discover three essentials for an even healthier mouth’, which are:
1. Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and replace your toothbrush regularly.
2. Avoid sugary snacks between meals.
3. Visit the dentist regularly.
The launch included presentations from Tony Jenner and Gill Davies. Tony, a specialist in dental public health and the immediate former deputy chief dental officer for England, shared the conception of the guidance document Delivering better oral health – An evidence-based toolkit for prevention. He said, ‘Successful adult dental health surveys show the population of adults in England with no teeth has reduced dramatically. This is a very encouraging picture but the longevity of the dentition does however give its own problems. As we keep our teeth for longer, root caries also has the potential to become a serious problem that is difficult to treat. The 1998 National Dental Health Survey shows 66 per cent of adults had root surfaces that were exposed, worn, filled or decayed. The same survey shows periodontal disease being an increasing problem with the aging population.’
Gill Davies, also a specialist in dental public health, then presented how the evidence in the toolkit can be put into practice saying, ‘I am delighted that Colgate has asked me to give particular focus on prevention for adults. Since the launch of the toolkit we have tended to focus on child prevention, leaving out prevention messages for gum disease and older adults. Adults who visit the dentist have an obvious opportunity to come into contact with a credible source giving appropriate advice. In fact, patients turn up and they expect to be advised by their clinician on what they should be doing to look after their own teeth. It’s about maximising the effects of prevention and mobilising our clinical teams to make the most of this opportunity.’
Gill then reviewed the evidence for the preventive messages and treatment of caries in adults, as well as the prevention of periodontal disease.
‘Putting evidence into practice’ will form the basis of the Colgate Oral Health Month 2010 CPD programme. This verifiable CPD programme is available to all dental professionals. To participate, visit www.colgateohm.co.uk from September 1, 2010, and download this interactive programme.
Colgate Oral Health Month 2010 will run throughout the month of September. Colgate is once again looking to partner with the dental profession for better oral health by providing Colgate Oral Health Month 2010 practice packs. These packs contain educational materials, motivational stickers, patient samples and materials to help dental teams drive the awareness of improved oral health by creating their own oral health month practice displays.
Register now
If your practice has not been involved in Colgate Oral Health Month before and would like to register to receive a Colgate Oral Health Month pack, call Colgate on 0161 665 5881.
Note that one pack per practice will be delivered at the end of August, subject to availability.