A growing appetite for oral health

Beyond the basics

Thankfully, most people today are aware of the obvious foods and drinks that should only be consumed in moderation. It’s commonly accepted that fruits and vegetables are good, while sticky sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks are bad. Of course, it’s not actually as clear-cut as this in real-life, but we often simplify the messages in such a way to ensure that as many people as possible understand the basics.

The messages are going beyond the obvious now, though. The focus has generally turned to spreading awareness about the hidden horrors in certain foods or drinks, including added sugars, salt and trans fat. Few would have missed what became a highly successful campaign, Change4Life, whereby the sugar in all manner of food items was presented as a number of sugar cubes for clarity.[i]

When it comes to oral health, there are various potential culprits that can cause less-than-ideal outcomes. For example, foods high in starch can be just as dangerous for dental wellbeing as sugar. In particular, rapidly digestible starches (RDSs) – more highly processed starches – have been shown to increase the risk of dental caries.[ii] There is also research that links the intake of saturated fatty acids with the development of periodontal disease.[iii] Patients should be encouraged, therefore, to do a little more research when trying to make healthier choices for them and their families.

A wider issue

Unfortunately, simply educating the general public about maintaining a healthy diet may not be enough. That’s because there are many factors that can influence a person’s decisions about food and drink, beyond their knowledge or understanding of how their health will be affected.

It has been postulated, for example, that how food production and distribution is managed could impact the oral health of the population. There is evidence[iv] to suggest that government policies restricting access to unhealthy food and drink could have a positive impact on oral health. The same systematic review found that food security for the consumer is important too, as people with the necessary financial means tend to choose healthier food options.

People’s level of understanding with regards to nutrition will impact their dietary choices as well. One study from 2000 found that 70% of people surveyed in England did not know the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables. Almost a third of respondents also struggled to correctly categorise foods as high or low in sugar, fat, starch, salt, protein or fibre.[v]

Of course, this was some time ago and there have been several campaigns (including the aforementioned Change4Life) designed to educate the general public on healthier diets since then, so we would expect the numbers to have improved. There are, however, still areas that are lacking. For instance, only 43% of women and 36% of men knew the recommended daily calorie intake in the 2019 Eating Well Choosing Better programme[vi] in Northern Ireland.

Driving nutritional education

All healthcare providers have a duty to support patients’ health in any way that they can. The importance of a holistic approach to care is being recognised by various professional bodies, who are encouraging care providers to adapt their patient services accordingly. The 2019 NHS Long-term plan,[vii] for example, highlights the responsibility of all dental and healthcare professionals to be able to talk about nutrition with patients. It’s not about working as a dietician, but rather, steering individuals in a positive direction along their nutritional education journey.

Of course, this applies to dentists and dental professionals outside the NHS system as well. We all have a responsibility to support patients wherever possible, and part of the profession-wide shift towards integrated dental care means providing basic advice and additional resources in everything from diet to exercise. Not only will improvement in these areas boost our patients’ oral health, but will also enhance their overall wellbeing. No matter what area of dentistry, or healthcare as a whole, you work within, this will always be the ultimate goal.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Dr Michael Sultan Bio:

EndoCare, led by Dr Michael Sultan, is one of the UK’s most trusted Specialist Endodontist practices. Through the use of the latest technologies and techniques, the highly-trained team can offer exceptional standards of care – always putting the patient first. What’s more, EndoCare is a dependable referral centre, to which dentists from across the country send their patients for the best in specialist endodontic treatment.

[i] Hidden food nasties revealed in new change4Life campaign. January 2013. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hidden-food-nasties-revealed-in-new-change4life-campaign#:~:text=New%20’Be%20Food%20Smart’%20campaign%20launched,-A%20ground%2Dbreaking&text=Graphic%20new%20advertising%20from%20Change4Life,fat%20in%20a%20large%20pizza. [Accessed October 2023]

[ii] Halvorsrud K, Lewney J, Craig D, Moynihan PJ. Effects of Starch on Oral Health: Systematic Review to Inform WHO Guideline. J Dent Res. 2019 Jan;98(1):46-53. doi: 10.1177/0022034518788283. Epub 2018 Aug 3. PMID: 30074866.

[iii] Iwasaki M, Manz MC, Moynihan P, Yoshihara A, Muramatsu K, Watanabe R, Miyazaki H. Relationship between saturated fatty acids and periodontal disease. J Dent Res. 2011 Jul;90(7):861-7. doi: 10.1177/0022034511405384. Epub 2011 Apr 19. PMID: 21505204.

[iv] Mackenbach JD, Ibouanga EL, van der Veen MH, Ziesemer KA, Pinho MGM. Relation between the food environment and oral health-systematic review. Eur J Public Health. 2022 Aug 1;32(4):606-616. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckac086. PMID: 35849329; PMCID: PMC9341680.

[v] Parmenter K, Waller J, Wardle J. Demographic variation in nutrition knowledge in England. Health Educ Res. 2000 Apr;15(2):163-74. doi: 10.1093/her/15.2.163. PMID: 10751375; PMCID: PMC4344545.

[vi] Food Standards Agency, Eating Well choosing better Tracking survey – Wave 4. September 2019. https://www.food.gov.uk/research/wider-consumer-interests/eating-well-choosing-better-tracking-survey-wave-4[Accessed October 2023]

[vii] The NHS Long Term Plan. August 2019. https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-plan/[Accessed October 2023]