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Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

News Hygiene Tribune U.S. Edition | February 2012C2 Publisher & Chairman Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com Chief OPerating OffiCer Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com grOuP editOr Robin Goodman r.goodman@dental-tribune.com editOr in Chief dental tribune Dr. David L. Hoexter d.hoexter@dental-tribune.com managing editOr Fred Michmershuizen f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com managing editOr Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com managing editOr Robert Selleck r.selleck@dental-tribune.com managing editOr shOw dailies Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com PrOduCt & aCCOunt manager Mark Eisen m.eisen@dental-tribune.com marketing manager Anna Kataoka-Wlodarczyk a.wlodarczyk@dental-tribune.com sales & marketing assistant Lorrie Young l.young@dental-tribune.com C.e.manager Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com Dental Tribune America, LLC 116 West 23rd St., Ste. #500 New York, N.Y. 10011 (212) 244-7181 Published by Dental Tribune America © 2012 Dental Tribune America, LLC All rights reserved. Dental Tribune strives to maintain the utmost ac- curacy in its news and clinical reports. If you find a factual error or content that requires clarification, please contact Managing Editor Robert Selleck at r.selleck@dental-tribune.com. Dental Tribune cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims or for typographical errors. The publisher also does not assume responsibility for product names or statements made by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and may not reflect those of Dental Tribune America. editOrial bOard Dr. Joel Berg Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan Dr. Arnaldo Castellucci Dr. Gorden Christensen Dr. Rella Christensen Dr. William Dickerson Hugh Doherty Dr. James Doundoulakis Dr. David Garber Dr. Fay Goldstep Dr. Howard Glazer Dr. Harold Heymann Dr. Karl Leinfelder Dr. Roger Levin Dr. Carl E. Misch Dr. Dan Nathanson Dr. Chester Redhead Dr. Irwin Smigel Dr. Jon Suzuki Dr. Dennis Tartakow Dr. Dan Ward HYGIENE TRIBUNE Tell us what you think! Do you have general comments or criticism you would like to share? Is there a particular topic you would like to see articles about in Hygiene Tribune? Let us know by e-mailing feedback@dental-tribune.com. We look forward to hearing from you! If you would like to make any change to your subscription (name, address or to opt out) please send us an e-mail at database@dental-tribune.com and be sure to include which publication you are referring to. Also, please note that subscription changes can take up to six weeks to process. feeding, but 70 percent of such mothers used sweetened canned milk in the bottle. Oral hygiene was rated as poor in 80 per- cent of children and only 10 percent were reported to use a toothbrush. Forty three percent of children were reported to have experienced toothache, but only 5 percent had been to a dentist. Dr. Francois Courtel, AOI director in Cambodia, said, “In Cambodia, a feasibil- ity study in 2010 showed that the situ- ation was not favorable for starting salt fluoridation. The main association of salt producers is not willing to start fluorida- tion because they have to deal with iodine and realize that it is more costs for them. There are many small artisanal produc- ers and boilers; the technology they use for mixing salt and iodine is not safe and professional. It was decided by the minis- try of health not to start introduction of fluoride at this time. Maybe in the future, if the situation improves, that will be re- considered.” Fluoridation of water supplies has prov- en to be an effective preventive measure for dental caries. Many developing coun- tries in the Americas have multiple water systems rather than centralized sources. Struggling economies may not permit the viable application of this fluoridation ap- proach. Some of the highest dental caries preva- lence in the world is evident in the Ameri- cas. Fluoridated salt was considered as a potential solution because of the urgent need for dental caries prevention in mil- lions of people with limited access to rou- tine dental services. Early success in Columbia A fluoridated salt trial was initiated in Co- lumbia (1963) and upon successful com- pletion with preventive results compa- rable to water fluoridation, the approach was introduced to other countries and was supported by resolutions of the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, regional health groups and the World Dental Federation. The procedures for addition of fluoride were comparable to those for iodization. Result, based on addition of F ion at 200– 250 mg/kg salt, indicated caries preva- lence reductions in 12 year olds ranging from 84 percent in Jamaica and 73 percent in Costa Rica to 40 percent in Uruguay at an average cost of US$0.06/capita/year. Prior to establishing a salt fluoridation program, health workers determine if there is any naturally occurring fluoride in the water supply via sample collection. In addition to maintaining important sanitary considerations, the consistency of proper levels of fluoride added to the salt must be monitored as well. Sodium fluoride or potassium fluoride is added in accordance with whether a dry or wet production method is used. Standardized epidemiological surveillance is needed after the fluoridated salt is made avail- able to the public. Both open-mouth and urinary fluoride evidence has been used in the past to monitor a program’s safety and efficacy. We can conclude that individuals in de- veloping nations are at a far greater risk for debilitating dental disease then they are for fluorosis after the implementation of fluoridated salt usage. Salt is a naturally occurring part of our human existence. It isessentialtoourhealthanddevelopment. Universally consumed, its risk of overdose is minimal as everyone eats a predictable amount. Additional additives are being looked at by the World Health Organiza- tion to prevent malaria and other infec- tious disease in impoverished nations. When addressing the problem of in- creasing dental disease in developing na- tions, it is obvious that strengthening the local health structure is required first. We then need to ask ourselves how to have the maximum effect in these low-income countries. Fluoride toothpaste, rinses, var- nish applications and supplements may have proven themselves in the West, but they are not universally affordable. While Laos has seen fluoridated salt production for a year now, its neighbor Cambodia has not yet found the financial means to assist in reducing the suffering from dental disease. The rural children of Cambodia are extremely poor. In this country, one in 14 individuals is an or- phan.Thereislittlefoodtoeat,andthereis a complete lack of basic sanitation, medi- cal/dental services and education. Child exploitation and child labor are the norm. Fluoride salt production assists sustain- able economic development and is an ef- fective management of natural resources. When I travelled from Thailand to Cam- bodia the difference in household wealth was hugely apparent in the rural areas. My cheery ‘tuk tuk’ (taxi driver) spoke enthu- siastically about how oil was just found off the Cambodian shore. He was gleeful that soon prosperity would be coming to his nation. My thoughts turned to all the sovereignty and political disputes over islands in the South China Sea. I hoped he was right. I prayed he was right. But I would rather have taken what he said with a grain of fluoridated salt. ˙ References 1. International Dental Journal (2005) 55,351–358 TM Marthaler, PE Petersen 2. Ibid 3. UNICEF Media advisory 16 Oct 2003 4. Int J Paediatr Dent 1994 Sep 4(3) 173–8 PMID 7811672 5. PAHO Tool-kit for decision makers, health planners, legislators, epidemiologists and health care workers 6. Kidservices.org, Dr. Robert Renner, KIDS In- ternational Dental Services ◊ SALT, page C1 Farmers in Southeast Asia make salt on fields that have been used for centuries. Photos by Aide Odontologique Internationale The Aide Odontologique Internationale/UNICEF quality seal for fluoridated salt. One of the two fluoridated-salt trucks in Laos, operated by Aide Odontologique Internationale, replete with advertising. 'Give Kids A Smile' turns 10 The American Dental Association (ADA) shines a light on dental health for children during February, marking the 10th anni- versary of its Give Kids A Smile program as well as its annual National Children’s Den- tal Health Month. Give Kids A Smile is the ADA’s signature access program designed to encourage par- ents, health professionals and policymak- ers to address the year-round need for oral health care for all children. Every year, jthousands of dentists and their dental team members provide free oral health care services to children from low-income families across the country. “TheADAthanksandcelebratesallofthe dentists and dental team members who donate their time to host or participate in Give Kids A Smile programs, but we all know that the real celebration can’t begin until the epidemic of untreated dental dis- ease is cured,” said ADA President Dr. Wil- liam R. Calnon. “More than 16 million chil- dren have tooth decay, which is 16 million too many. TheGiveKidsASmileprogramwouldnot be possible without volunteers and contin- ued generous support of sponsors Henry Schein Dental, which donated professional dental products, Colgate-Palmolive Co., which donated consumer dental products, and DEXIS, which donated the use of its digital X-ray systems and the expertise of its staff to assist dental schools, state dental associations and large-group dental prac- tices with their Give Kids A Smile events. For more information about Give Kids A Smile, visit www.givekidsasmile.ada.org, and for the latest news, visit the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GiveKidsASmile. (Source: American Dental Association)