Before you undergo jaw surgery to correct your orthodontic problem you must prepare yourself for a transient change of eating habit. After the jaw surgery your mouth will be wired shut for proper alignment of the teeth and optimum healing. Since your mouth is wired shut, you cannot take solid food and will need to take liquid diet for a few weeks. For the first few days your doctor will prescribe you a diet of clear liquids.

What is liquid diet?
There are generally two categories of liquid diets: the clear liquid diets and the full liquid diets. Since the body has undergone some form of trauma during the surgery, much rest is needed to recuperate. However during the resting state energy is needed for the proper functioning of the body. Clear liquids that contain salts, minerals and energy are generally given once the patient is allowed to drink by mouth. Clear liquid is the preferred choice because it is easily absorbed by the body and fully assimilated, leaving nothing in the intestine.
A Clear Liquid is a transparent liquid that is not opaque and contains no smoothed solids. Examples of clear liquids are: water, oral rehydration solution, clear fruit juices and clear carbonated drink.
A Full Liquid is a smooth liquid that can contains transparent or opaque liquids and blended liquid foods. Examples of full liquids are: milk, milkshakes, yogurt, ice cream, fruit juices, strained cream soups, smooth cooked cereals such as oatmeal, cream of rice/wheat, and honey
Full liquid diets are usually prescribed after the patient is able to tolerate clear liquids for 2 to 3 days. You are required to take this liquid diet till the wires in your mouth are removed and usually it may for 2 to 3 weeks. This liquid diet is obviously and extremely restrictive as compare to your normal diet. Most people will loss some weight.
To improve appetite and to minimise the after taste of the dairy products in the tongue you may wish to try some Tomato Soup. Tomato soup can remove some of the coatings left behind by the milk and give you a refreshing taste when you drink it last.
Tips while on liquid diet:
1. Eat the liquid diet more frequently, such as 5-6 times per day.
2. Try to make your liquid diet more palatable by adding sour cream, syrup, honey, eggs, or tofu.
3. You may use Zip and Squeeze pouches for easy eating and storage.
4. To enrich your liquid diet you can sometime use meal replacement shakes.

Since your mouth is being wired close you must also try to keep your oral cavity and teeth as clean as possible.
Below are some methods you can keep your mouth clean:
1. Rinsing or swishing with:
i. Warm water or
ii. Salt water (2 teaspoons salt in 120ml of water) or
iii. Hydrogen peroxide rinse (to 2 parts of water +1 part of hydrogen peroxide)
2. You may use oral syringe to spray water in between your teeth to remove any debris.
3. Make a habit of pulling out your cheek on the side and use your finger lightly brush your teeth.

Please remember to consult your doctor before your attempt to do the procedure above.

If you happen to be in London and decide you want to have your teeth restored, there should be no problem as there are a number of dentists whom you can visit for any type of tooth restoration procedure you want.But first, you may need to know some basic facts about the tooth restoration process. This dental procedure involves the use of dental prosthetics which are specially fabricated for exact fit and utmost comfort. These dental prosthetics may include veneers, implants, crowns, bridges and dentures.

The fabrication process of the prosthetic itself is not done by your dentist, but by a qualified dental technician. In view of this, you may need to discuss with your dentist a few issues regarding the fabrication process and the dental technician or laboratory that will be handling it.

To attain the best results, it is essential for your dentist to:

1) Obtain accurate impressions of your dental profile through dental x-rays, imaging software, and dental models.
2) Communicate clearly with the dental technician regarding the specifications of your restoration procedure.

It is always imperative to have tooth restorations that you feel comfortable with because they fit well. As you know an ill-fitting dental prosthetic may not yield the best results and it may not even last for long. Bacteria may further lodge within an ill-fitting tooth restoration causing tooth decay.

Hence, it’s not only important to have a good dentist, but also to have a qualified and experienced dental technician for your tooth restorations. Dental technicians are mostly graduates of two-year associate degree programs although some may have finished bachelor programs. Those who are considered highly qualified have undergone advanced training and have several years of relevant experience.

So, if you’re new in London, the best thing to do is look around for some dental offices and make inquiries with regard to their tooth restoration procedures as well as the actual fabrication process involved.

Now, this got me really reeling! It’s been a long established fact by the dental profession that fluoride and fluoridated products are really good for teeth. According to the old school of research, fluoride was readily absorbed by the outer surface of teeth called as enamel to make a really hard coating .This made the tooth stronger and more resistant to cavities. But a few theories floating around the internet are giving me second thoughts! Fluoride’s anti cavity properties have made it popular enough to be added to mouthwashes, toothpastes, as well as the water supply of nearly 47 states of the US since the 1940’s.But the story behind the discovery of fluoride is really surprising. A few years ago, fluoride was one of the most dangerous by products of the explosive, fertilizers and aluminum industry. It was produced in excess and extremely difficult to store and dispose. A single scientist, working for the American Aluminum Company, was credited with discovering these so called beneficial effects of the fluoride. The American Aluminum Company was at the time one of the biggest manufactures of fluoride as the waste by product.

Kinda seems fishy!

Holistic dentistry is a field of dentistry dealing with integrating the mind, body and spirit in to the field of dentistry. Conventional dentistry deals only with the teeth and how to treat existing diseases. But holistic or alternative dentistry has several principles like
• The physical and mental state is very important and it plays an important role in influencing dental health. The opposite is also true with dental ill health influencing the whole body in general.
• It supposes that dental disease can be a side effect of other bodily ailments.
• Diet is very important in influencing dental health.
• Nutritional curing as well as a good diet is integral to a complete healing approach to dentistry.
• Additional dietary help can be obtained by vitamins, minerals, herbs and food supplements.
There’s really no proof supporting holistic dentistry over conventional dentistry but anything which advocates maintaining overall good health can’t be completely bad, right? And quite a few views of holistic dentistry ridiculed by conventional medicine have now proved to be true. For example, The FDA has recently upheld a ruling that mercury can be responsible for whole lot of chronic health problems and has advised dentists to discontinue use of the material. Holistic London dentistry has been long advocating removal of old mercury fillings and replacing them with newer white colored fillings. Initially, this was ridiculed as an underhanded method of making money. But I guess they have been proved right!

• Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first one comes out!
This accustoms your child to brushing and teaches him how valuable the method is to maintain healthy teeth.
• Start using fluoridated toothpaste only after the age of 2 to protect your toddler’s teeth unless your London dentist advises you to start earlier.
• Get an age specific pliable nylon toothbrush for toddlers to learn brushing easily. Parents have to teach their toddlers and preschooler’s to brush twice a day until they are about 5 years old. At the age of 5 children become capable of doing the process by them. Only use about pea-sized amounts of fluoridated tooth paste and make sure your child does not eat any of it. Although you can try flossing please do be careful with over active children.
• Check to see whether your locality has fluoridated drinking water. This is an enormous benefit as fluoridated water contains the right amount of fluoride to toughen teeth and delay cavities. Ask your dentist for fluoride tablets if required.
• Ask your pediatric dentist for help if your child is still sucking his thumb at the age of four or five. Prolonged thumb sucking can cause misaligned teeth or cavities.

Ouch! I though hot sauce or Tabasco could literally sear your tongue off but it seems it can be used as an anesthetic! According to researchers, Clifford Woolf and his panel of the Harvard Medical School a mixture of capsaicin and substance QX314 could very well replace the use of local anesthetics in future dentistry.The Tabasco sauce company is however not very surprised. For quite a long time now the company has been selling seeds of the hot pepper to a company which isolates the active ingredient called as capsaicin for use in analgesic creams.

According to researchers, common local anesthetic work by blocking the passage of electrical impulses through the nerves to the brain. But local anesthetics block all impulses including the sensations of pressure and touch along with pain. Scientist Clifford Woolf hopes that the newer combination will block only pain receptors and nothing else! In fact, newer uses for the compound are being researched with one popular use being as an insect repellent on plants and as a preventive for barnacles on the underside of ships. But it will take a long time for the compound to be approved for human use in dental practice in London.

As dentistry gets more and more high tech, it’s not sufficient to just be updated with the newer and better appliances which are in the market. London consumers have become much more aware of what quality dental care entails and you have to make sure your practice is better and modernized regularly. A few of the newer and better inventions to hit the market include,
1. MagnaVu promoted by Magnified Video Dentistry. A really great innovation which houses a microscope, an intra oral camera, a digital camera, as well as a monitor in the same mounted appliance. Really great for the posture but a little on the expensive side.
2. The latest in intra oral cameras for those who like to record their work as well as for clinical presentations is Imagin Hot Rod which is really detailed with the best image value and the most versions which can fit into any operatory. You can choose from the desk mount, as well as a whole variety of hand pieces for best quality intra oral, and full face pictures. You even get optional memory cartridges with the camera.
3. DentForms are really great optional software for completely paper less practices. Most Practice management software’s require paper work to be scanned into the system but this manages to bridge the problem with a really great inexpensive signature pad by which you can digitally record signatures and store the documents into your software on your computer.

It’s a really good idea to get a “paperless” practice. You don’t have to have paper charts, radiographs or consent forms etc. Everything will be available at the touch of a button in your computer. But before you completely paperless please do a little research into what you will require financially as well as legally. A few basic items you will require are-1. Practice Management Software (PMS) is the most essential program which you will require to deal with all you’re patient paper work like progress notes, indemnity coverage, billing, consent forms, radiographs, charting, medication, etc.
2. Image Management Software is necessary to integrate the radiographs you will be taking of patient treatment into the PMS software. You can use the software supplied by the PMS Company but it probably will be more expensive
3. Operatory Design is important for locating the computer monitors, digital radiograph machine, keyboard and mouse, to allow easy access for patient as well as the doctor.
4. You might also need a server to integrate the receptions server into the operatory computer
5. Data Protection and Backup is very essential to make sure you have duplicate copies of patient information, as well as protection for your computer in the form of anti-virus, firewalls, anti-spy ware, and completion of the HIPAA regulations.

It’s not legal for dental hygienist to do the complete job of a dentist. The scope of job they are entitled to do is limited to a small percent of dental tasks decided by a set curriculum and under the supervision of a dentist. But London is facing a sharp scarcity of dentists! It’s really difficult for patients to find a good dentist who has the time and inclination to take up new NHS patients. But what if you could get the same care for a fraction of the price without a wait for several days? Sounds attractive, right! If you don’t mind being treated by dental hygienists then you can have all the benefits I’ve just mentioned! So what are the benefits of having a dental hygienist treat you and what can go wrong?
With health costs rising and, 40 to 50 per cent of people can’t afford dental care. Out of the population of the elderly, only about 1% has dental insurance and even a simple dental screening can cost about £60 which is just not affordable for the elderly as well patients who are on a fixed budget. For such patients, a dental hygienist who offers home dental care for a fraction of the cost is really a dream come true. In America, a bill has already been passed in Maryland, which will allow dental hygienists to do dental cleanings, use sealants as well as apply fluoride treatments without being supervised by a dentist. And London is not far behind! The degree course has been set up in UK at the University of Kent’s Medway called as the BSc in Primary Dental to provide new skills to dental hygienists to work on their own.

It’s finally been established! With the New Year still about six months away, three key London dental supply companies’ have recently declared the financial results which show that the demand for supplies has fallen in the dental market! Surprising, right? But it’s true!
Stock prices have fallen across the board due to a sharp fall in demand as well as an increase in the amount of surplus stocks in store with companies! Most companies still had a healthy sale rate, but quite a few areas of the sales market were sluggish as compared to the same time last year. In April Robert W. Baird market analyst Jeff Johnson had to forcibly lower stock prices of Patterson Dental, Dentsply, and Henry Schein based on market research which stated that very soon dental care would nose dive over the subsequent few months.
And of course the same thing happened! Although the poor economy is being blamed for the fall in prices of the stocks as well as the market demand, Johnson has decreased the Dentsply’s likely stock cost to £42 as of £48 last month. The stock has further decreased to about £40.59. Specialty areas like orthodontics and lab implants are the worst hit with endodontic and lab supplies following close behind. But Dentsply still has projected a growth curve of about 4% in U.S., along with a greater growth of 8.5% in Europe as well as about 6.3% everywhere else.