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Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

April 9-15, 20124 News United Kingdom Edition A kind hearted dentist is go- ing the extra mile for a children’s charity. Dr Greg Paysden, (pictured), who runs two dental practices - one in North Manchester and another in Sal- ford - has set his sights on running the Wilmslow Half Marathon in a bid to raise money for Smile Train. Formed in 1999, Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft charity providing free cleft lip and pal- ate surgery to children in devel- oping countries. It also provides free cleft-related training for doctors and medical profession- als. To date, it has helped more than 725,000 individuals across more than 80 of the world’s poorest nations. Speaking of his efforts to raise funds that will help Smile Train in its invaluable work, Dr Paysden said: “A lot of children affected by clefts are considered outcasts by society. This can mean they are excluded from education and overlooked for job opportunities. In worse case scenarios, some are even killed or abandoned at birth. “It’s hard to believe that chil- dren are being treated in this way over something that isn’t their fault and can be fixed so easily. By running the Wilmslow Half Mara- thon I hope to gain as much sup- port as possible and bring a smile to a child’s face.” To contribute visit: www.just- giving.com/GregPaysden DT All aboard the Smile Train 4 News H ealth Secretary Andrew Lansley announced re- cently that a billion units of alcohol will be shed by the alcohol industry through an ambitious plan to help customers drink within guide- lines. The initiative, which is part of the Responsibility Deal, is being spearheaded by 34 lead- ing companies behind brands such as Echo Falls, First Cape and Heineken and will see a greater choice of lower strength alcohol products and smaller measures by 2015. Market intelligence sug- gests consumers are in- creasingly looking for low- er strength wines. In the past year, demand for lower and non-alcoholic beer has soared by 40 per cent across all retailers. Key commitments include new and lighter products, in- novating through existing brands and removing products from sale. They include: • Sainsbury’s have pledged to double the sales of lighter al- cohol wine and reduce the av- erage alcohol content of own brand wine and beer by 2020 • 25 million units will be grad- ually removed from Accolade Wines including Echo Falls Rosé and Echo Falls White Zinfandel • Brand Phoenix - have com- mitted to taking 50 million units of alcohol out of their wines - by reducing 0.8 per cent ABV on all FirstCape full strength red wines • Molson Coors, the UK’s larg- est brewer, has committed to remove 50 million units by De- cember 2015 • 100 million units will be re- moved by Heineken • Own brand super-strength lager will be removed from sale by wholesaler Makro • Tesco, the leading retailer for low alcohol drinks, will reduce the alcohol content of its own- label beer and cider and ex- pand its range of lower alcohol wines and beers, already the biggest selling range in the UK Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “The Responsi- bility Deal shows what can be achieved for individuals and families when we work togeth- er with industry. We know it is an ambitious challenge to work in this way but our successes so far clearly demonstrate it works. We will work hard to engage even more businesses and get bigger results. “Cutting alcohol by a billion units will help more people drink sensibly and within the guidelines. This pledge forms a key part of the shared re- sponsibility we will encourage as part of the alcohol strategy.” Estimate suggest that in a decade, removing one billion units from sales would result in almost 1,000 fewer alcohol related deaths per year; thou- sands of fewer hospital ad- missions and alcohol related crimes, as well as substantial savings to health services and crime costs each year. Chief Medical Officer Pro- fessor Dame Sally Davis said: “Drinking too much is a major public health issue. By cutting out units from many of our best-known brands, this ini- tiative will help people to con- tinue to enjoy a sensible drink while lowering their unit con- sumption.” DT Alcohol industry sheds a billion units T he sterilisation protocol for dental bib holders is inconsistent and can result in the presence of bacte- ria such as pseudomonas and micro-organisms, researchers from Germany have proved. In a study, they found bacteria on more than two-thirds of reus- able bib holders. The researchers at the Wit- ten/Herdecke University in Witten, Germany, examined 30 metal and plastic bib holders. “The analyses of the bac- terial load showed that 70 per cent of all reusable bib hold- ers were contaminated with bacteria. The predominant colony types identified were staphylococci and strepto- cocci. On several bib chains, we also found various bact- erial rods, pseudomonas, fun- gi and other types of cocci,” said Prof Stefan Zimmer, lead investigator of the study and scientific director at the Wit- ten/Herdecke University. “Al- though the bacteria found in this study were all non-patho- genic, in principle reusable bib holders can cross-contaminate dental patients.” The bacteria found on the bib holders do not usually cause disease in healthy peo- ple, but can be a threat to im- munosuppressed patients, as well as young children and the elderly, who often have com- promised immune systems. Bacteria from an unsterilised bib holder can enter the body when a patient touches the bib holder or neck after a dental visit and then rubs an eye or touches the mouth. Cross-contamination can also occur when a bib chain is splattered with saliva, plaque, blood and spray from the mouth, when it catches onto hair and accumulates the wearer’s sweat, make-up or discharge from neck acne, and if the dental worker applies a dirty bib chain with gloved hands before the examination or cleaning. Several other studies have found similar results. Three US studies found un- acceptable levels of micro- bial contamination on dental bib holders, including pseu- domonas, E. coli and S. au- reus, the most common cause of staph infection. DT Researchers find bacteria on dental bib holders T he country’s biggest super- markets, food manufac- turers, caterers and food outlets are joining forces to help cut five billion calories from the nation’s daily diet, the Health Sec- retary Andrew Lansley recently announced. Asda, Marks & Spencer, Mor- risons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Wait- rose, Coca-Cola Great Britain, Kerry Foods, Kraft, Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo, Premier Foods, Unilever, Beefeater (Whitbread), Subway and contract caterer Compass have all joined the fight against obesity and are leading the way in signing up to the Responsibility Deal’s calorie reduction pledge. England has one of the high- est rates of obesity in Europe and some of the highest rates in the developed world. More than 60 per cent of adults and a third of 10 and 11 year olds are overweight or obese. Consuming too many calo- ries is at the heart of the problem. Making commitments today to cut and cap calories are some of the world’s biggest food and drink manufacturers and best known brands. More than three-quarters of the retail market has signed up. The following examples high- light some of the initiatives being taken: • Asda will develop a new reduced calorie brand across a wide range of products that will contain at least 30 per cent fewer calories than their core Chosen by you brand • Coca-Cola Great Britain will re- duce the calories in some of its soft drinks brands by at least 30 per cent by 2014 • Mars will cap the calories of their chocolate items to 250 calo- ries per portion by the end of 2013 • Morrisons will launch a range of healthier products developed by their chefs and nutritionists • Premier Foods will reduce calo- ries in one third of their sales by the end of 2014 • The Subway brand has commit- ted to offer five out of their nine Low Fat Range Subs • Tesco is on track to remove 1.8 billion calories from its soft drinks, will expand its Eat, Live and Enjoy range of low-calorie meals and is making it easier for shoppers to spot low-calorie options Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley said: “Eating and drinking too many calories is at the heart of the nation’s obesity problem. “We all have a role to play – from individuals to public, private and non-governmental organisa- tions – if we are going to cut five billion calories from our national diet. It is an ambitious challenge but the Responsibility Deal has made a great start.” DT Calories to be capped and cut Calories in food will be cut