After a busy day of orthodontic treatments, I was in the practice one evening doing some treatment planning for the patients that would be coming in later that week and the phone rang with Prof Stassen’s name on the screen.
As he does the jaw surgery and other special procedures for my patients that need them, I’d always take the call ...
I have blogged about mouth cancer before. We had mouth cancer screening days in the practice, there was a national mouth cancer awareness day.
It’s not one of the more famous ones, there isn’t a national campaign where we wear a ribbon or a flower or have a coffee morning at work for it, but it’s certainly there in the background ...
It’s a given fact among orthodontists that every child should have an orthodontic examination by the age of 7. This is to look for healthy development of teeth, their positions in the developing mouth and the way they relate to each other. Some problems might be obvious but some are lurking unseen by parents - and the kids themselves - ...
You can't out train a bad diet
It's a phrase I picked up on an exercise video on YouTube, but I imagine the idea has been there for a long time before the internet was with us.
A few weeks ago I bought some airport-sized Toblerone bars for the team at Swords Ortho (don't tell the dentistry police). The ladies of Swords ...
Stephen: Did you see that kid’s T-shirt?
Nurse: No
Stephen: It said “Floss like a boss”
Nurse: Oh. OK
Stephen: I think it’s great that they have T-shirts for 10 year olds with oral hygiene slogans. I think they wore that in specially because they were coming to orthodontist.
Nurse: Oh Steve. Steve, Steve, Steve, Steve, Steve. You are so not with it, aren’t you?
Stephen: ...
I haven't heard it yet as at time of blogging, it's still due for broadcast but here's a link to a BBC 4 programme about the toothbrush...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005m
How often do you change yours?
Stephen: "you're looking after your teeth really well, that is great toothbrushing!"
Patient's mum: "he used his confirmation money to buy an electric tooth brush."
Now that, my friends, is a person who is serious about oral hygiene.
The Department of Health released its new National Oral Health Policy a few weeks ago. Smileagusslainte is the hashtag they're using. There was an announcement, a public appearance from the Minister of Health, Simon Harris, some tweeting and then everyone went back to whatever they were doing beforehand. I made a few comments directed at the Department of Health and ...