Anne, of Pickering Road, writes to say that she believes that the discolouration on her teeth may be due to erosion. “What is that and how can I deal with it?” she asks.

We at 543 find that an increasing number of patients suffer from this problem. Tooth erosion is caused by acidic foods and drinks now so popular with all age groups. Over time they will break down the surface of the teeth causing discolouration and leading to more acute problems such as sensitivity and in more extreme form cracked teeth.

But such problems can be prevented by following simple procedures.

To start with cut back on those fizzy drinks and think about replacing them with unsweetened tea, coffee or milk.

If you do still enjoy carbonated drinks it’s well worthwhile to rinse your mouth with water after finishing them so that acid content can be neutralised.

Another point to bear in mind is to use toothpaste containing fluoride which can help reduce tooth sensitivity.

But first and foremost, if you believe that you are showing signs of tooth erosion first consult your dentist who will be able to offer you professional advice on what products are available to help you tackle the problem.

Hard of hearing? Then help may be on the way – through your teeth.

Just revealed is what is described as the SoundBite hearing system, the world’s first and only non-surgical and removable hearing solution designed to imperceptibly transmit sound via the teeth to help people who are essentially deaf in one ear. Known as SoundBite It employs a well-established principle called bone conduction to deliver clear, high quality sound to the inner ear.

Nearly invisible when worn, the system consists of an easy to insert and remove ITM (in-the-mouth) hearing device – which is custom made to fit around either the upper left or right back teeth – and a small microphone unit worn behind the ear. No modifications to the teeth are required.

This system is currently having clinical trials.

It is commonly referred to as “brain food.” But there’s more to Omega 3, which is found in rich, oily fish, than being a building block for your neurological systems.

It helps maintain good eyesight, reduces the risk of heart disease, helps lower blood pressure and a valuable supply of vital vitamins to keep your skin healthy and your bones strong.

And now scientists have found that it can also be a natural weapon against dental disease.

Following a five–year study involving elderly participants in Japan, fish oil has been found to help combat mouth infection and boost oral health in the process.

Dental examinations revealed that a lack of the essential omega–3 fatty acids found in fish oil in people’s diets had strong links with the progression of periodontal (gum) disease.

Not only that, the latest research has discovered that Omega 3 fatty acids are strongly effective against a range of oral bacteria.

The findings have been welcomed by Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation.

He said: “They illustrate how the consequences of our diet can be linked to gum disease, the most common dental hygiene issue. There are hundreds of bacteria in our mouths at any one time that contribute to gum disease, which not only threatens tooth loss but, significantly, overall health.

“A healthy mouth can lead to a healthy body so a good oral healthcare routine, including brushing teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and making regular visits to the dentist are just as important as a healthy, balanced diet.”

With evidence of a poor diet linked to a third of all cancer cases, Dr. Carter also stressed: “Eating fish can help lower the risk of cancer, as can an increase in eggs, fruit and vegetables.”

Dentists may in future be at the forefront of helping to cut dramatically the number of deaths through cancer of the mouth.

This could be done by carrying out a simple test now widely available in America and which campaigners want to see introduced in Britain.

The examination for the oral human papilloma virus (HPV) can be carried out in the dentist’s chair.

It requires the patient to gargle a special saltwater solution for half a minute and then spit into a tube which is sent away for testing.

The test identifies one of two exceptionally dangerous forms of HPV long before the virus develops into cancer and creates lesions.

The best chance of beating the cancer comes from early detection

Without early diagnosis chances of survival could fall to 50 per cent.

Mouth cancer has previously been found to be more common in men than women and people over the age of 40, though an increasing number of men and young people are developing the condition.

Three quarters of all mouth cancer cases have been linked to tobacco and smoking while chewing tobacco and the likes of paan and guthka also place people at considerable risk.

People who smoke and drink have been found to be at higher risk and are up to 30 times more likely to develop the condition.

Poor diet is also a contributing factor.

Initial signs of mouth cancer can include a non–healing mouth ulcer, a red or white patch in the mouth or unusual lumps or swelling in the mouth.

Mouth cancer claims the lives of 2,000 every year, making it the UK’s fastest growing cancer.

*For information and expert advice on mouth cancer and other oral health issues visit the website at www.mouthcancer.org

Ask what patients dislike most about visiting their dentist and the chances are you will find that one single answer is given more than any other:

The drill.

Even with the most sophisticated modern techniques the necessary use of the drill is widely feared, just as it has been for generations.

So the news that a new technique to deal with dental cavities which is a less painful alternative will be widely welcomed.

This uses plasma jets able to wipe out bacteria which cause tooth decay.

The jets are fired at dentin which is the fibrous tooth structure underneath the hard enamel coating and tests have shown that it is highly effective, reducing the amount of dental bacteria by 10,000 fold.

This means that in future your dentist would no longer need to rely on the traditional drilling method to remove infected tissue in cavities.

If left this could lead to loss of teeth, pain and infection of the gums.

Researchers in Germany, however, exposed infected tissue to plasma jets for six, 12 or 18 seconds and found that the longer the process continued the greater was the amount of bacteria wiped out.

The research team leader says this completely contact-free method is highly effective.

He adds: “Presently, there is huge progress being made in the field of plasma medicine and a clinical treatment for dental cavities can be expected within three to five years.”

A pet hate with many of those who visit their dentist is the use of the drill during treatment.

But the way things are going that could before too long be a thing of the past.

The reason is the development of an effective – and less painful – alternative known as plasma jets which are said to be capable of wiping out bacteria which cause tooth decay.

In the future your dentist may well be using plasma technology as part of your normal treatment to remove infected tissue in tooth cavities, this being the reason why at present, use of the drill is required.

News of the development has been published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology which says that firing low temperature plasma beams at dentin – the fibrous tooth structure underneath the enamel coating – was found to reduce the amount of dental bacteria by up to 10,000-fold.

Plasmas are known as the fourth state of matter after solids, liquids and gases and have an increasing number of technical and medical applications.

Dr Stefan Rupf from Saarland University, who led the research, said using plasma technology to disinfect tooth cavities would be welcomed by patients as well as dentists.

“Drilling is a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience. Cold plasma, in contrast, is a completely contact-free method that is highly effective. Presently, there is huge progress being made in the field of plasma medicine and a clinical treatment for dental cavities can be expected within three to five years.”

Do you suffer from dry mouth?

Perhaps you wake during the night to find your mouth completely dry. Even drinking water fails to have an immediate impact on removing the dryness.

Or maybe during the day you are aware of dryness when eating or swallowing.

The condition is technically known as xerostomia and lack of saliva can make it difficult to talk or even to taste food properly.

Saliva is produced in and secreted from the salivary glands and in humans is composed of 98 per cent water, while the other two per cent consists of other compounds such as electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds, and various enzymes.

As part of the initial process of food digestion, the enzymes in the saliva breaks down some of the starch and fat in the food. It also does so with food caught in the teeth, protecting them from bacteria that cause decay. Furthermore, saliva lubricates and protects the teeth, the tongue, and the tender tissues inside the mouth.

Help now comes to those who suffer dry mouth with a product called Xerostom which comes in a variety of applications – mouthwash, toothpaste, saliva substitute Gel oral spray pastilles and capsules.

It is said to not only relive dryness, but to protect the mouth against bacterial plaque.

Xerostom is produced by Curaprox. For more details visit www.curaprox.info

Getting married?

Then see your dentist.

Having your teeth look good on your big day is said to be a confidence booster with research revealing that more than half of brides-to-be and 39 per cent of their grooms believe that aesthetic treatments will help them feel more confident.

A majority of women think that tooth whitening is best for them, but 78 per cent of men go in for dental veneers.

For many decades now the question of introducing fluoride into water supplies as a means of helping to keep teeth healthy and preventing tooth decay in children and adolescents has been a highly controversial issue.

As we’ve reported previously the dental profession believes it to be a good thing, a view not shared by some, who point out that its introduction is not effective enough to justify the costs. Indeed, during the 1950s and 1960s, some opponents of water fluoridation suggested that fluoridation was a communist plot to undermine public health!

But the inescapable fact is that fluoride does have a positive effect on oral health.

And this is now underlined by a report from the Cochrane Oral health Group, an international network of healthcare professionals, researchers and consumers.

It has been looking at the effect of fluoride toothpastes and says that these do reduce dental decay by about 25 per cent on average when compared with toothpastes which do not contain fluoride.

The group’s report followed 79 trials involving 73,000 children.

For some time now it has been fashionable for those wanting what they believe to be cut price dental work to go abroad to have it done.

Many have headed to the Far East or to Eastern Europe in the belief they were getting bargain treatment at much less cost than in the UK.

But the reality is that “cheap” treatment can actually work out to be more expensive.

Around 260,000 people are now estimated to leave Britain each year for dental treatment abroad, the vast majority of them under the age of 34.

But whether it saves them money is another matter.

For until they arrive at their destination they may not be fully aware of what the treatment they need entails. In fact this could mean them having to make several visits – and that means paying for air fares and hotels in addition to the dentist’s fees.

Add to that the inconvenience of having to travel and the time involved and going abroad can be a costly option.

*At 543 we are always available to provide advice on the treatment patients need and the cost of providing it. It pays to consult us before making any decision to go abroad.