Stacey McMaster explores the impact of advances in technology on contemporary dentistry and the UK’s oral health.
Over recent years, it has been easy to cast a dark shadow over dentistry. The NHS contract is in urgent need of reform, there desperately needs to be a review into the dental workforce, many people are struggling to access care and rates of mouth cancer are skyrocketing.
With all the problems circulating within UK dentistry, it is important to remember the oral health status of the population has improved hugely in recent decades. While oral diseases remain too high for conditions that are entirely preventable, we are making progress. Public awareness and education are better than ever, and the skills within clinical practice are of an exceptional standard.
An area of activity that has undoubtedly brought about improvements to the UK’s oral health is advances in technology. Technology has had a tremendous impact on the outlook of oral health in a number of different ways. As part of this year’s National Smile Month, the Oral Health Foundation looked at just some of the ways technology is influencing oral care.
Innovations in manufacturing
When used effectively, oral care products have the potential to transform the oral health of patients. In recent years, we have seen multiple examples of innovations within oral care products that undoubtably have a positive effect in driving higher oral health status and reducing, or managing, oral diseases.
We can look at inventions like the electric toothbrush, which removes up to twice as much plaque as a manual brush. When combined with aids such as timers and pressure sensors, these can significantly improve oral care routines.
There have also been developments in oral care products. While fluoride remains the major ingredient for helping to prevent decay, the addition of antibacterials to combat gum disease, specific formulations for sensitivity, prevention of erosion and more mean that the variety of toothpastes available to the public has never been greater.
Mouthwashes have become much more sophisticated with added fluoride and antibacterials and can now be regarded as an essential part of an oral health routine, not just something intended for fresh breath.
We also have products like Invisalign, which have transformed the uptake of adult orthodontics.
These examples may seem basic, but they have taken decades, and cost manufacturers billions in research and development.
Mobile apps
Our research shows that more than half (51%) of the population admits to skipping brushing once a week while most people fail to do so for the full two minutes, with the average length of time being a mere 43 seconds.
Mobile apps, especially those that come with electric toothbrushes, have become an extremely useful tool to help motivate both adults and children to brush twice daily and for the correct length of time.
In a recent survey, 98% of parents said that dental apps that incorporate fun games make it easier to get their kids to brush for longer and can help reinforce the learning of how to brush correctly.
Many mobile apps now have the capability to warn patients who apply too much pressure when brushing and some are developing ways to transmit a report to the dental team – a feature that can encourage proactive discussions while in the dental chair.
Mobile apps also have the potential to deliver good oral hygiene advice and tips to encourage people to keep their mouths healthy. Advice can include anything from diet to brushing, interdental cleaning to other dental issues or problems.
Pain-free dentistry
It can be incredibly important that dental phobic patients are encouraged to try a pain-free dentistry experience. Fear of the dentist can lead to neglect and even greater dental problems in the future.
For many anxious patients, it is often the numbing injection that is the problem due to needle phobia. For a number of years now, there has been an exciting new advancement in the delivery of local anaesthetic called the Wand. The Wand is a painless, computer-assisted anaesthetic system, which is significantly more comfortable than a regular local anaesthetic injection, greatly reduces anxiety and does not cause numb lips and tongue.
Running a dental practice uses technology, too. Reception admin, accounts, appointments, patient records, consent forms, referrals etc no longer need to rely on an often slow paper trail as it is digitalised. Going paper-free is far more environmentally friendly and improves efficiency.
Technology can make your practice more productive and cost effective, so it is something that we all should embrace as the way forward.
Teledentistry
Teledentistry refers to the use of digital communications such as telephones and the internet within dentistry. It was softly introduced during COVID-19 in a bid to utilise the benefits of these digital platforms to reduce the impact of the pandemic.
Our recent report looking into the barriers of dental access found that teledentistry can be an effective method for dental referrals, early detection of disease, treatment planning and compliance, and treatment viability, especially where access to dental professionals is limited or not equitably spread over a country or region.
While not currently fully adopted, teledentistry has a role to play in the future of dentistry, both in the UK and around the world. It could prove instrumental in bridging the gap between the underserved population and dental care professionals.
In the current climate of reduced access to NHS dentistry, it is easy to see how it can benefit patients, particularly in rural areas or practices with a higher number of elderly or disabled patients who may not be as mobile. This can help build a relationship with patients who are unlikely to be regular attendees, due to geography, disability or inconvenience.
While new dental contracts and reform of NHS dentistry may seem far off, at least we can continue to rely on advances in technology to help us reinforce good oral health amongst our patients.
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