One look at social media and you would be forgiven to think that modern dentistry is all about Invisalign teeth straightening, veneers, teeth whitening and facial rejuvenation. The stark reality is that at Chelsea and Fulham Dentist, we still see and treat dental decay on a daily basis.
The reason dental decay is not plastered all over Instagram and Facebook feeds is simply because a big hole in a tooth is not particularly sexy to look at! Having said that, for the patient suffering with unbearable pain because of said hole, I am sure they would be just as happy with treatment and pain relief as a person with newly whitened teeth!
As an undergraduate at university, I had to complete a project on the “Dental Vaccine”. The basic idea was that dental decay is partly caused by an identified bacteria, and therefore, we could develop a vaccine against this and prevent tooth decay just like we have prevented diseases such as Polio for example.
Part of me was elated thinking about the prospect of a decay free world. A smaller, less excitable, part of me was slightly worried about my future career choice! Would we even need dentists by 2020?
Fast forward to ‘the future’ and here we are. Like so many of my younger self’s grandiose ideas, the caries vaccine is yet to materialise. Sadly, there is still plenty of dental decay to go around and treat. What a disappointment that a truly preventable disease is still the main cause for hospitalisation of children in the UK.
The future of dentistry and dental decay? Unfortunately, I think dental disease is not going away any time soon. With our modern diets and busy lifestyles, our mouths stand to suffer. I would love to see a decay free world in my lifetime – one can but dream.
If you would like to attend for an oral health review and try and ensure you remain dental decay free for your lifetime, please contact our team on 02030801000 or email us mail@cfdentist.co.uk you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook or book directly online here.
