United Kingdom Edition March 15-21, 2010 News 3 Brace yourself for gene research C hildren whose teeth develop later are more likely to need orthodontic treatment, according to new research. div-iduals and the participants were tracked from the mother’s early pregnancy right up until adulthood. getting an expensive orthodontic treatment done during 30 years of age. Several genes affect tooth development in the first year of a child’s life. The study, carried out by researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Bristol and the University of Oulu in Finland, found that the teeth of babies with particular genetic variants appear later and that these children have a lower number of teeth by the age of one. The study scanned the entire genetic code of 6,000 inScientists have discovered gene variants that can detect the timing of the appearance of the first tooth in infants and also foretell the number of teeth the baby will have by age one. Dr Marjo-Riita Jarvelin and her contemporaries hope the research will help to carry out timely treatment and prevent innate dental problems. One of the genes identified in the research is reportedly linked with a 1.35 greater risk of Dr Jarvelin said: “Our findings should provide a strong foundation for the study of the genetic architecture of tooth development, which as well as its relevance to medicine and dentistry may have implications in evolutionary biology since teeth represent important markers of evolution. “We hope also that these discoveries will increase knowledge about why fetal growth seems to be such an important factor in the development of many chronic diseases.” The study results also established an association between the time the first tooth takes to appear and the dental problems that will be caused to the infant in later life due to it. The study found that babies with lesser milk teeth by age one are at a greater risk of undergoing dental treatments later on in life than those who develop more teeth by the same age, and this depends entirely on their genes. The researchers found that some of the genes associated with development of teeth in toddlers were also linked with development of the skull, jaws, ears, fingers, toes, and heart by previous studies. This led the study authors to conclude that teeth and many other organs have familiar development passageway during infancy. “The discoveries of genetic and environmental determinants of human development will help us to understand the development of many disorders which appear later in life,” said Dr Jarvelin. The study and its findings have been published in the Feb. 26 issue of Public Library of Science or PLoS. DT Green Party: free basic dental care for all veryone in the UK should be able to access free, basic dental care, according to the Green Party’s new dental health policy. In the policy, the party claims that only half the UK population is provided with free dental healthcare and calls NHS dentistry charges a ‘regressive tax’. A spokesman for the party said: “Greens think it’s unfair that many poorer people including children are going with- E out proper dental healthcare, while NHS money is wasted on botched privatisation schemes. Green MPs will fight for a dental health service for the UK that’s fair, free and effective.” As for fluoridating the water to improve dental health, the Greens said this is not a viable solution and called it more like a ‘sticking plaster with side effects’. “It’s unfair that less affluent populations are having mass medication foisted upon them as a cheap ‘sticking plaster solution’ instead of being provided with a proper dental health strategy, while health services are treated like profit-driven businesses rather than public services,” said a spokesman. They claim that “mass medication of doubtful efficacy and potential side-effects is no substitute for a proper dental healthcare strategy. We need to be teaching new parents how to look after their toddlers’ teeth, and teaching young children from nursery onwards all about how to look after their own teeth properly. And in addition, we need everyone to have access to the right professional support, which means guaranteeing free access to an NHS dentist for everyone who wants it.” The Green Party also states that getting access to an NHS dentist is difficult and there is wide variation across the country with between 55 per cent and 60 per cent of NHS practices not taking any new NHS patients. It is also concerned that less than half of the UK adult population and only around two thirds of children are visiting NHS dentists. DT NHS Newham launches dental campaign HS Newham in East London has launched a dental campaign to raise awareness of the number of NHS dentists in Newham. The campaign is being supported by Dr Grish Malhotra, who has an NHS surgery in Newham. He said: “Nationally, there’s a perception that people can’t find an NHS dentist. Locally, with significant investment there’s now more than you may think. Last year, Newham’s 30 NHS dentists saw 98,194 patients.” N The campaign tells people about the availability of local NHS dentists, the range of treatments available and explains the NHS charging system. Dr Malhotra has been working as a dentist for 27 years and claims to have seen ‘great improvements in dentistry’. He said: “My surgery at The Lift in Manor Park has the latest equipment and dedicated staff. In fact, the surgery looks so good I’ve added a window sign to tell people we’re not a private practice.” He added: “Working in Newham is great. When I came to the UK, I lived across the road from where my surgery is now, so I love the area. It’s ethnically diverse, the people are fantastic and there’s always something going on. Being a dentist is really rewarding; building relationships with patients, relieving pain and helping improve people’s oral health.” Dr Malhotra’s surgery is surrounded by schools so he sees a lot of children and parents and says that children ‘should visit the dentist as soon as they get their first teeth, so they get used us’ so they can see ‘we’re not scary’. Robert Moore, director of Primary and Community Services Commissioning, NHS Newham and said: “There are a number of misconceptions people have about NHS dental services in Newham. These include that it is hard to get an appointment, we don’t offer quality treatments, and that treatment is expensive. In fact there are many NHS dentists that you can go to in Newham. Costs for their services are set by the NHS and for many NHS dental services are free.” He added: “We are investing in NHS dentistry. So it’s never been easier to see an NHS dentist locally.” The campaign details NHS charges and explain how visiting the dentist should be part of everyone’s health routine pushing the message that it is prevention, not just cure. There are new dental adverts and posters as well as information leaflets in dentist and GP surgeries, libraries and children’s centres in Newham as part of the campaign. DT Advertising Director Joe Aspis Tel: 020 7400 8969 Joe@dentaltribuneuk.com Sales Executive Sam Volk Tel: 020 7400 8964 Sam@dentaltribuneuk.com Marketing Manager Laura McKenzie Laura@dentaltribuneuk.com Design & Production Keem Chung Keem@dentaltribuneuk.com Managing Director Mash Seriki Mash@dentaltribuneuk.com Published by Dental Tribune UK Ltd © 2010, Dental Tribune UK Ltd. All rights reserved. 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