Juices are the main cause of cavities

ONE of the few dentists in who offers nitrous oxide or inhalation sedation — popularly known as laughing gas — is finding phobic patients are beating a track to her clinic.

Carrigaline-based Dr Anne Twomey, president of the Irish Dentistry Association, points to a Behaviour and Attitudes survey that found 30% of adults don’t attend the dentist because of severe dread and phobia. “The fear is usually due to a negative experience as a child.”

Dr Twomey uses nitrous oxide on 10-15% of her patients and sees a role for it in her paediatric client base too.

“I want to ensure children, who come to me, have a good positive experience so they’re not carrying fear [around the dentist] into adulthood.”

Nitrous oxide is administered via a nose-piece, while the dental procedure is ongoing. She uses it on children as young as three once they cooperate around insertion of the nose-piece.

“The effect is to make the patient feel very calm, warm, comfortable and happy. Nitrous oxide leaves the system within three to five minutes of removing the treatment.”

According to Dr Twomey, children aren’t being seen as often by the school dentist as previously.

“So parents have a responsibility to ensure children go to the dentist every six to 12 months. The reality is that many children’s first visit is at age six or eight. They come because they’ve fallen or they have toothache or a tooth hasn’t fallen out properly. They may have quite a severe problem with decay.”

Dr Twomey uses nitrous oxide on about four children a week.

“Because I’m seeing them later I have to do heavy work on their teeth, so I use inhalation sedation. I use it if the child is very anxious or fearful or if I’m going to be doing something unpleasant like extracting a tooth.”

Dr Twomey has seen children as young as three with decayed teeth.

“I look into their mouth and see big brown holes in their back teeth, yet these teeth have only been there six months. It’s generally children who don’t have a habit of drinking water or milk — they’re having drinks like apple juice or diluted blackcurrant.

“Sipping these drinks throughout the day is like washing your teeth all day in a sugary substance. Every time you have sugar, the bacteria that feed off it have a party. Acid is produced, which attacks the teeth. Saliva neutralises the acid but it can’t do this if the teeth are being constantly bathed in sugar.”

She asks parents to make one change — to get rid of all sweet drinks.

“Just stop buying them — it’s easier to say ‘no’ if they’re not in the house.”