DTUK1910

Unlocking the secrets Dental Tribune attended the truly global International Symposium on Dental Hygiene, held in Glasgow’s SECC in July T he international Sympo- sium on Dental Hygiene, held at the SECC in Glasgow, was a truly global event with more than 1300 del- egates attending from all parts of the globe. With a host of speakers cov- ering a wide range of topics it really was difficult to choose which lectures to see! Speak- ers included Prof Iain LC Chap- ple, Prof Christof Dörfer, Warren Greshes, and Prof John Thomas. The conference was well sup- ported by the trade, with more than 50 companies taking exhi- bition stands. With so much to see, I man- aged to attend a few lectures, including Warren Greshes’ Add- ing value to the dental practice and Patient centred therapy and outcomes: effective management of dentine hypersensitivity by Prof Philip Preshaw and Dr Mar- tin Ashley. However, one of the stand-out lectures for me at the Symposium was Prof Michael Lewis’ presentation The role of the dental hygienist in the diag- nosis and management of dry mouth in association with GSK. Prof Lewis is professor of oral medicine and associate dean for post graduate studies in the school of dentistry and Cardiff University. He is also dean of the dental faculty and vice-president of the Royal College of Physi- cians and Surgeons of Glasgow. With more than 200 scientific articles published and six medi- cal textbooks co-authored, it is no surprise that Prof Lewis’ lec- ture was packed with delegates eager to hear how they can help their patients suffering from dry mouth. The lecture began with Prof Lewis setting the scene with his alternative title Unlocking the se- crets of saliva. He explained that his aim was to inform delegates: Where saliva comes from; Com- ponents; What it does; Effects of reduced salivary production; Causes of xerostomia; What can be done to help patients. Where saliva comes from Prof Lewis explained that there are three major paired glands which produce 95 per cent of sa- liva: the parotid (60 per cent), the submandibular (30 per cent) and the sublingual (five per cent). The rest is produced by more than 600 minor or accessory glands mainly found in the lips, cheek and palate. The real interest for me is how saliva is made up. Having always thought of saliva as a sin- gle secretion, I was surprised to discover that it is a mix of two secretions; serous and mucous. The serous saliva is mainly wa- tery and is primarily produced by the parotid glands; the other glands are responsible for the production of the more viscous mucous saliva. The content and consistency of a patient’s saliva is then dependent on flow rate; this is where the causes and ef- fects of reduced salivary flow come into their own. Cause and Effect Prof Lewis detailed how salivary flow rate is neurally controlled – it is excited by taste and me- chanical stimuli but inhibited by feelings such as anxiety. With its importance in functions such lubrication for speech, a buffer against acid attack, cleansing an- timicrobial actions etc, a reduced flow rate soon manifests as a problem. Symptoms often men- tioned by patients include a lack RECOMMEND PRONAMEL PROTECTION FOR YOUR PATIENTS References: 1. GlaxoSmithKline data on file Guibert et al 2010. 2. Fowler C et al. J Den Res 88 (Spec Iss A): 3377, 2009. 3. Gracia L et al. J Den Res 88 (Spec Iss A), 3376, 2009. 4. GlaxoSmithKline data on file Young and Willson 2008. Studies show that the combination of Sensodyne Pronamel daily toothpaste and Sensodyne Pronamel Daily Mouthwash can provide up to 80% extra protection against future acid erosion.*1 Sensodyne Pronamel Daily Mouthwash is an alcohol free 450 ppm fluoride mouthwash with tri-hydra™ polymers, which help build more protection against acid erosion than standard fluoride mouthwashes.2-4 80% extra protection against future acid erosion1 *compared to brushing with Sensodyne Pronamel daily toothpaste alone For patient samples visit www.gsk-dentalprofessionals.co.uk SENSODYNE and PRONAMEL are registered trade marks of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies. SM1836_2 PN Mwash ad LONG.indd 1 4/6/10 10:44:37 July 19-25, 20106 Event Review United Kingdom Edition