Early preventive dental care not received by many children

Less than one per cent of healthy urban children surveyed in Toronto had received dental care by the recommended age of 12 months and less than two per cent had seen a dentist by the age of 24 months. Children most susceptible to cavities were least likely to receive early dental care, according to the study by Dr. Jonathon Maguire, a pediatrician and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital.

Of the 2,505 children around 4 years of age who were surveyed from 2011-13, 39 per cent had never been to a dentist. The children were part of TARGet Kids! (The Applied Research Group for Kids!), a unique collaboration between doctors and researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children. The program follows children from birth with the aim of preventing common problems in the early years and understanding their impact on health and disease later in life.

Dr. Maguire’s study was published in the journal Pediatrics.

The study found never having been to a dentist was associated with younger age, lower family income, prolonged bottle use and higher daily intake of sweetened drinks such as juice. With each one-cup increase in the amount of sweetened drinks consumed daily, the odds of never having visited a dentist increased by 20 per cent.

Of children who had visited a dentist, 24 per cent had at least one cavity.

Dr. Maguire said prolonged bottle use, especially at night, and sweetened drinks are suspected risk factors for cavities because the carbohydrates in the beverages promote the growth of the bacteria that causes cavities.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/276383.php

Picture courtesy of www.deltahealthalliance.org

 

 

 

 

Hygienists use research skills to gather data to ensure the launch of an innovative product.

A stroll through the dental care section of a drugstore or supermarket clearly demonstrates the wide array of consumer products targeting the oral care needs of consumers. Many of the products are labeled “new” or “improved.” Companies continually refine existing products to enhance performance, or they develop new products in order to maintain their existing customer base or capture a different segment of the consumer market. What these “new” or “improved” products offer to the consumer may range from a new taste sensation to a new application of technology – a new flavor of mouthwash or the addition of ultrasound to a power toothbrush.

Companies often apply significant “people-power” to these improvements, sometimes consuming years of research effort. Improving existing products and developing new oral care products are not simple processes. These processes, one may be surprised to find, often utilize the input of trained dental professionals.

The typical development process for a product works through a systematic series of investigations and designs that aim for the ultimate goal of a product that can be marketed. In developing new oral care products, a team of professionals with different areas of expertise is brought together. Such a team often has a product feature or technology application that is the focus of a development effort. Several iterations through the design-build-test cycle yield an improved product after each cycle, one step closer to the final product to be marketed.

http://www.rdhmag.com/articles/print/volume-27/issue-10/feature/new-product-development-the-role-of-the-dental-hygienist.html