Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

PUBLISHED IN LONDON A fter a much desired Easter break, with plenty of choc- olate consumed in a more than average quantity, sugar has become the hot topic of debate to hit the headlines; but it’s not the chocolate that has highlighted this fresh concern. A controversial New York Times Sunday magazine cover story Is Sugar Toxic? has proposed that sugar, in all its sweetness, may actually be toxic, and there are even suggestions that it could be as dangerous as cigarettes and alcohol. But how much is too much? And is the source of the sugar im- portant? Figures demonstrate that sugar consumption in the UK has increased by more than a third since the 1980’s and even though people are consciously putting less sugar on their cereals or in their tea, many are being caught unaware by the secret sugars that are hidden in even the most sa- voury of foods. The extent of the secret sugar problem has recently been dis- covered by BBC Scotland Health Correspondent Eleanor Bradford, who after giving up refined sug- ar for Lent became increasingly aware of the hidden sugar con- tent in almost every food; includ- ing bread, mayonnaise and even crumpets! Dentists are becoming in- creasingly concerned about the amount of sugar people are con- suming, and dentist Kieran Fal- lon, a spokesman for the British Dental Association, expressed his concerns about the effect of sugar consumption: “As dental students we were always made aware of hidden sugars. People should look at the breakdown of percentages per serving: Putting it in perspective five grams = one teaspoon of sugar. “For an alternative snack eat whole fruit, not pulped fruit as this releases sugars. Also giving dried fruit to children between mealtimes can be just as bad be- cause when fruit is dried the sug- ar becomes concentrated. Whole cheese, not processed cheeses (especially those that are aimed at children because these contain sugars),canalsoberecommended. “With regards to there being hidden sugars in foods I absolute- ly agree that there is too much. Manufacture’s believe that they have to add flavourings, such as salt and sugar, to their products to make them attractive. Even cooking sauces have sugar, which means that what you are eating isn’t as healthy as you think.” Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Ni- gel Carter, said: “For many years dentists have recognised the large amounts of sugar in many foods where it is often added as a cheap bulking agent. “Looking for hidden sugars often listed as sucrose, maltose, glucose, fructose etc can help the public cut down on how often they have sugary foods and drinks and help with both dental health and obesity.” A spokesperson from The Sugar Bureau said: “A reanalyses of data from two dietary surveys of British school children, 1983 (Department of Health) and 1997 (National Diet and Nutrition Sur- vey), found while BMI increased 2-3kg, there was no significant change in total sugars intake over that period. “In this study key sources of sugars in the diet did change with a marked shift away from table sugar and milk, biscuits and cakes, counterbalanced by a significant increase in soft drinks and, to a lesser extent, fruit juice and breakfast cereals. “The authors of this paper concluded that reduced energy ex- penditure, rather than dietary fac- tors, is more likely to be a cause of increased BMI’s recorded in chil- dren over this time. “The amount of sugars con- sumed is not considered the pri- mary dietary factor associated with caries development. Accord- ing to the most recent review of the scientific evidence by EFSA (2010) …caries development re- lated to consumption of sucrose and other cariogenic carbohy- drates does not depend only on the amount of sugar consumed, but is also influenced by oral hygiene, exposure to fluoride, frequency of consumption, and various other factors.” DT April 25-May 1, 2011 VOL. 5 NO. 9 Sci-fi brush technology A new medical laser tooth- brush has been introduced by South Korea’s M&H (Medical & Human technologies). The new laser toothbrush uses a low level laser therapy which is designed to treat dentin sensitivity. According to the products website, through clinical testing and study, the laser toothbrush is shown to have the capability to “cure hypersensitive teeth’s prob- lems including pain relief and help to restore dental health.” It has also been stat- ed that Dental.M also whitens teeth. The laser technology reportedly prevents various diseases caused which are caused by infectious bacteria, allowing the user to main- tain proper oral hygiene and healthy teeth. The Dental.M laser toothbrush is controlled by a built-in micro-computer and has a waterproof design. Dentist claims £1.85m Dentist Emmanouil Parisis, 46, formerly of Barnstaple, Devon, has been jailed for five years after he admitted eight charges of false repre- sentation. Parisis had debts of £379,000 and claimed on 15 different life insurance policies: He made £1.85 mil- lion after he faked his own death in a car accident in Jordan. According to re- ports, the court heard that his £135,000-a-year salary was not enough to pay off his debt and his defence team said the fraud was driven by desperation. After he moved to Scotland, his wife, Stiliani Parisis, 41 stayed behind in Devon to play the part of the bereaved widow. For the first three months of his “death” the couple’s four children be- lieved their father was dead. Easter Warning Last weekend British people will consumed more than 80 million Easter eggs and den- tists were worried that peo- ple were unaware of the link between sugar consumption and oral health issues, includ- ing decay and gum disease. Numerous studies have now shown that gum disease and poor oral health are linked to an increased risk of many serious, potentially life- threatening diseases, includ- ing strokes and heart disease. In order to reduce the nega- tive impact of eating Easter eggs, dentists encouraged people to eat at mealtimes, rather than between meals, to reduce the frequency of acid attacks, which leave the teeth susceptible to decay and acid erosion. www.dental-tribune.co.uk What went wrong? Eddie Scher gives a lecture preview Buying a practice? David Brewer provides a guide for today’s world Clinical Innovations A look at this year’s event News in Brief Money Matters EventsClinical InnovationsNews Seeing the future Joint partnership for dental practice and opticians page 4 pages 8-9 pages 14-15 page 30 One lump or twelve? New reports spark debate on refined sugars in savoury foods