More effective than flossing

Getting on the anti UPF bandwagon might not be a bad idea

Author

Dr Rosemary Morgan
October 08, 2023

I listened to this podcast during week. Doctor Tim Spector being interviewed on Diary of a CEO.

If you’re not sure who Dr Tim Spector is, he is an expert in how what we eat affects us and the effects of ultraprocessed foods (UPF) on the human body. He’s on a crusade.

There’s also been a bit of controversy in the UK about a proposed programme supporting supervised toothbrushing in schools; an evidence backed intervention that has a positive benefit for the children involved. Carry out a search for “school toothbrushing” in Twitter(X) to explore.

The response from one dentist was pertinent and that was, “that all the toothbrushing in the world won’t overcome a bad diet”.

So where does our wider dental profession get the biggest bang for its buck?

We can promote flossing (no certain evidence that it prevents caries according to Cochrane) and brushing with a fluroide toothpaste all we want, but you don’t have to be a dentist for long to see that the average person can strugggle to stay motivated and perform effective plaque control in the long term. Don’t forget that almost half the population don’t attend the dentist regularly, so the ones you see are the motivated ones!

So it comes back to battling ‘big food’. If you want to know what we’re up against, this article is interesting about how the waters are muddied by the food producers.

Scientists on panel defending ultra-processed foods linked to food firms

Exclusive: three out of five at briefing playing down concerns over UPFs have ties to makers of such foods

www.theguardian.com/science/2023/sep/28/scientists-on-panel-defending-ultra-processed-foods-linked-to-food-firms?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

We, and our patients, are truely overwhelmed with difficult choices the moment we set foot outside our houses.

Maybe it’s time for dentists to get on the bandwagon and fight the good fight against ultraprocessed food? I think we need to start thinking bigger picture than applying fluoride and fissure seals; that’s not helping the ‘whole patient’.

This guy popped up in my Instagram, he’s pretty entertaining and prone to colourful language.

So I think we could all do with bringing a bit of Eddie or Dr Tim to our own and our patient’s live; pick your style.

Remember the precautionary principle?

‘If a product, an action or a policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, protective action should be supported before there is complete scientific proof of a risk.’

“But it does mean that governments should act now. Sitting on their hands is no longer an option. A range of public action can be taken now to begin to turn the tide and shift the balance towards healthier diets for all”

Agriculture Nutrition and health academy

Have a great week

Rosie

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