The BDA has thrown its support behind the Fizz Free February campaign, as it prepares to go national. Launched by Southwark Council in 2018, the campaign encourages the public to reduce their sugar intake by cutting out fizzy drinks. By committing to going fizz free for the entire month of February, supporters can develop new habits to make it easier to cut down on fizzy drinks for the rest of the year.
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The Daily Telegraph reports that the National Audit Office (NAO) is to probe claims of a deliberately “aggressive” official policy intended to deter patients from claiming their right to exemption from payment. According to the BDA more than 400,000 NHS dental patients a year are being fined £100 for form-filling mistakes, it has emerged as watchdogs launched an investigation.
Read more: Audit Office to probe fines imposed on exempt patients
The UK market for dentistry is estimated to be worth £7.1 billion as of 2017/18, according to a market report from LaingBuisson. This represents real terms growth of 0.2% during the year and suggests an optimistic future for UK dentistry market. They say that £3.6 billion is attributable to the private sector, and £3.5 billion to NHS spend.
Read more: LaingBuisson gives optimistic report on UK dentistry market
More than 1 million patients unable to get NHS dentist amid rising tooth decay crisis. Many are left in pain without the care they need and paying the price for ministers’ “indifference”, the BDA says. Analysis of the NHS GP Patient Survey found one in four patients, roughly 1.03 million people, are not on the books of an NHS dentist and have been unable to get an appointment in the past year.
Read more: Eddie Crouch: “High Street NHS dentistry is on the brink”
The NHS has told Superdrug it could do more to protect the mental health of customers who want injections to smooth skin or plump lips. The High Street chain has said it will tighten its screening of Botox customers for mental health issues after these concerns were raised. Health minister Jackie Doyle-Price has said: "the desire to change appearance can be symptomatic of a mental disorder".
Read more: Superdrug to tighten screening of Botox customers
Poor oral health is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, says new research, published in Science Advances. What was not clear was whether gum disease causes the disorder or is merely a result—many patients with dementia can’t take care of their teeth, for example. The study has confirmed that the bacteria that cause gum disease are present in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, not just in their mouths.
Read more: Gum disease–causing bacteria could spur Alzheimer’s