8 ms·
It may still take us some time to reach that goal, but the good news is that we have an effective solution available right now: keeping good oral hygiene is kno
by mishu2 2y ago
It may still take us some time to reach that goal, but the good news is that we have an effective solution available right now: keeping good oral hygiene is known to prevent both caries and gum disease, and takes less than 10 minutes a day for the average person.
If you need more information, we recently developed a free website to get you started:
https://lifelongsmiles.hk/ https://lifelongsmiles.hk/
- csallen 2y agoYour heart's in the right place, but these videos are hard to watch.
- nothrabannosir 2y agoWhich one? I was looking forward to some awkwardness but all I can find are tutorials on teeth hygiene.
- ttrmw 2y agoDunno that it's awkwardness so much as the discomfort of watching someone with pretty messed up teeth forcing too-large ID brushes in between them
- csallen 2y agoThis exactly. I don't think the average person is as comfortable as a medical professional at starting at videos/images of messed up teeth, injuries, disease, etc. It's not exactly what we want to stare at when learning.
- csallen 2y agoAlso, while I'm at it, I'd suggest maybe putting an hour or two of research into how to make content… exciting? I know you're a dentist and a software engineer, not a YouTuber, but it's worth looking up a bit about what YouTubers and entertainers know about how to hold an audience's attention. Just a few small changes can probably result in a 1.5-3x improvement in the number of people who make it to the end of a video.
- loco5niner 2y agoAnother perspective, I don't feel like these informational videos need to be exciting. For this, I feel like 'just the facts' are a breath of fresh air.
- csallen 2y agoMaybe exciting is the wrong word, but compelling is a better one. For example, just the order of how you present information matters. Compare these two approaches: 1. "If you don't floss enough, then <BadThing> may happen. Here's tips on how to floss: A, B, C." 2. "Here's tips on how to to floss: A, B, C. Btw, this can help prevent <BadThing>." The first is better. "Boring" information ceases to be boring and instead becomes compelling when you have a strong reason to want to know the information. Thus, it's important to hook people by giving them that motivational reason to watch/listen before you jump right into a video or article. Otherwise, you will likely only retain viewers who already arrive with their own personal motivations.
- loco5niner 2y agoThe very first video, pinned to the top, is titled "Why is oral hygiene important?" and lists both <BadThing> and <GoodThing>. The site follows approach 1 as you suggest (at least it does today).
- mishu2 2y agoThank you all very much for the feedback, it gives me a new perspective on things. We wanted to show a real case, rather than animations, because we thought it would be clearer for our patients; but we are probably desensitized to watching stuff like this. Would you prefer to see a 3D animation instead, or something else?
- memset 2y agoI actually really prefer the videos of real people doing the thing! I've literally never seen a video of how to floss - even at the dentist they show you how on a little model. Thanks for sharing these!
- mishu2 2y agoI'm glad they were useful to you.
- throwworhtthrow 2y agoI watched all the patient videos and found them helpful. There's no substitute for seeing examples with a real mouth. The interdental brush video is a bit more "intense" than the rest. Can't be helped: you need to show someone with teeth gaps. Perhaps move that one down in the list so newcomers start with a more gentle video?
- mishu2 2y agoThank you for the feedback, I'm glad you found them helpful! I wanted the interdental cleaning part to come first, because it usually gets neglected and it's just as important as tooth brushing. But I like your suggestion to change the order, as that would indeed give a gentler introduction.
- poochkoishi728 2y agoWe want clean, healthy and attractive teeth and mouths to stare at. Rather than the e.g. inter-dental mouth that triggers disgust even if realistic. Use the attractive models in the video if they have healthy teeth ideally.
- ccppurcell 2y agoMy parents both have fillings in almost every tooth, my sister and I have none. Neither of us did anything particularly special, my parents were quite strict about sugar (for the UK in the 80s/90s) and we brushed our teeth twice a day. I never flossed regularly, though I have started doing it more in the last few years.
- bjourne 2y agoFluoridated drinking water may explain the difference.
- dtech 2y agoUK tap water isn't fluoridated
- ljf 2y agoNot strictly true: https://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumers/learn-more-about-your-water/fluoridation-of-drinking-water/ https://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumers/learn-more-about-your-water... Quote: The water companies that are currently required by the Secretary of State to fluoridate some or all of their water supplies are: United Utilities Northumbrian Water Anglian Water Severn Trent Water South Staffordshire Water
- thorin 2y agoThis isn't entirely true: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england# https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-water-...
- gcanyon 2y agoFun fact: I'm visiting Uruguay right now, and they have fluoridated salt here! (it's iodized as well)
- Cthulhu_ 2y agoFluoride treatments at the dentist and fluoridated tooth paste are a big factor in my area. A commenter also mentioned fluoridated water, which had the same objective, but it causes demineralization of teeth (fluorosis) and possibly behavioural / hormonal changes (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520156/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520156/, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123000312 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393512..., https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/fluoridation/fr/l-3/3.htm https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_l... ). I'm glad fluoridization of water isn't a thing where I live.
- jtc331 2y agoMy wife seems to be basically immune to cavities; I get them easily. I brush very carefully; she brushes only quickly. Our diets are the same — if anything she probably gets more sugar. We have the same water source. Etc. Clearly there’s a lot more to this than what you’re claiming. Unless you’d propose that all of my current problems are due to conditions while I was child or similar.
- Meganet 2y ago[dead]
- mishu2 2y agoWhile there are indeed many factors (genetics, the specifics of the microbiome in your mouth, probably some we don't even understand at the moment) at play, oral hygiene (and diet for caries, but not gum disease) is currently considered by far the most important modifiable risk factor.
- alphazard 2y agoConsidered by who? Dentists, or scientists? Dentists seem to be about 5-10 years behind the research on this topic. I know of a single practice that has started doing oral microbiome testing. We know that caries are caused by acid eroding the teeth. And we know which bacterial species produce this acid, how quickly they secrete it, and how common they are. The most significant source is Strep. Mutans. Sugar is an input to this process, and Xylitol (a sugar alcohol) can kill this bacteria selectively. Diet is probably the most significant way to affect gum disease. Gum disease is associated with systemic inflammation and auto-immunity. The same dietary interventions that are used to treat those conditions also treat gum disease.
- mishu2 2y ago> Dentists seem to be about 5-10 years behind the research on this topic. Generalizations are usually not helpful, I think it really depends on the dentist. I'm not sure there are proven benefits to oral microbiome testing, except in some very specific cases. > The most significant cause for caries is S. mutans. The 'Beyond Streptococcus mutans' section in TFA explains that the situation is much more complex than this; even if it is, good oral hygiene and reduced sugar intake (both in quantity and frequency) are still the best way to reduce the amount of biofilm present on teeth (which is a requirement for caries formation, whether S. mutans is there or not). > Diet is the most significant way to affect gum disease. The current clinical treatment guidelines for periodontitis[1,2] only mention that the benefit of weight-reducing diet and lifestyle changes is unclear (for treating periodontitis, obviously), and that oral hygiene is still the most important thing you can do yourself for the prevention, and, once established, to assist in the treatment of the disease. [1] Infographic: https://www.efp.org/fileadmin/uploads/efp/Photos/Continuing_Education/GUIDELINE_STEP01_071022-2.pdf https://www.efp.org/fileadmin/uploads/efp/Photos/Continuing_... [2] Source article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpe.13290 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpe.13290
- fwipsy 2y agoI brush and floss every day but the cost is not trivial. Saving ten minutes EVERY day for everyone who brushes would be a massive, massive success. Not to mention it would improve health for people who can't get into the habit.
- radlad 2y agoI suspect you'll still want to brush your teeth for reasons besides cavities.
- culi 2y agoA simple salt water rinse is enough to deal with halitosis. Much easier and the effects seem to last longer than prescription mouthwashes at a sufficient concentration. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667147622000231 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266714762...
- gamblor956 2y agoThe study you cited actually shows that salt water was only effective for 3 hours, vs 5 hours or more for the prescription mouthwashes. Furthermore, all concentrations of the prescription mouthwashes showed significantly reduced bacterial populations with continued usage (meaning, they got more effective over time.) while the salt water rinse did not.
- tmaly 2y agoI would be curious to know if you have any knowledge from older books on how diets affected the bacteria in the mouth?
- Salgat 2y agoWhat's interesting is that there is no strong proof that flossing actually helps. The U.S. Health department had to take down their recommendation to floss because they couldn't produce evidence of its efficacy.
- loco5niner 2y agoIf you want to be inspired to floss more often, just smell your floss after not flossing a few days. Disgusting, and that's convincing enough for me.
- Salgat 2y agoCounter point: that's the stuff you're shoving deeper into your gum line. And to reiterate, I do floss. However, I can see potential issues with it that may counter its effectiveness.
- loco5niner 2y agoCitation needed. Flossing IS important: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease/ask-the-expert https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease/ask-the-ex... https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/floss#:~:text=The%20ADA%20recommends%20brushing%20twice,floss%20after%20their%20midday%20meal https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics.... https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/oral-health/brush-oral-health/promoting-oral-health-adults https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/oral-health/brush-oral-health/...
- Salgat 2y agoNone of your sources are studies with a strong causal link between flossing and dental health. People who floss do have other good dental habits, so there's definitely a correlation that exists. And remember, I'm making no claims either way, I'm specifically stating the current scientific evidence. I personally floss. https://www.nydailynews.com/2016/08/03/flossing-has-no-proven-benefits-so-us-health-department-stops-recommending-the-practice/ https://www.nydailynews.com/2016/08/03/flossing-has-no-prove...