Tariq Drabu Discusses the New Toothbrush Programe Introduced in 2016

Tariq Drabu said “The new toothbrush programme introduced for nursery and school staff is showing positive results in 2016.”

Tariq Drabu is a leading dentist and specialist oral surgeon who was born and educated in Manchester in the United Kingdom. He is also one of the youngest dentists to ever graduate in the UK before working in some of the busiest dental hospitals in the UK and Saudi Arabia. Today he is the owner of the successful Langley Dental Practice and is also the Clinical Lead Dentist for the Oral Surgery Clinical Assessment and Treatment Services at NHS Heywood Middleton and Rochdale. He also finds time in his busy schedule to tutor and mentor postgraduate dentists in oral surgery at the UCLAN Dental Clinic in Preston.

Tariq Drabu was speaking about an article published on 24 June 2016 on a top dental news website. The full article can be read here.

Tariq Drabu in Manchester said “Nursery and school staff have been given access to the new toothbrush programme. “Brush Time” has been introduced to help children with their toothbrushing. Since it was introduced in February 2016 it has been downloaded by more than five hundred organizations, which is a positive sign.”

TariqDrabu went on to say “This is a very comprehensive toothbrushing programme which is enjoying positive feedback. It focuses on sharing important oral health messages to children at a young age, helping them incorporate good brushing techniques into their oral health routine from an early age. It is an educational tool that will help them start a good routine that they can use well into adulthood.”

TariqDrabu closed in saying “This is a completely free resource and communicates and educates children to provide a useful preventative measure that can be trusted. It is an essential tool when you have one in three twelve year olds suffering with tooth decay and thousands of children being admitted to hospital each year to have their teeth extracted. As you can imagine this is costing the NHS millions each year, for something that is completely preventable with the right education and messages being communicated. Parents and teachers need to be educated so that they can teach children the importance of brushing now and in the future.”

About Tariq Drabu

Tariq Drabu is a leading dentist and specialist oral surgeon. This Manchester born and educated dentist was one of the youngest dentists to graduate in the United Kingdom. He has worked at some of the busiest hospitals in the UK and Saudi Arabia and completed his Fellowship in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He is the owner of the very successful Langley Dental Practice and is also the Clinical Lead Dentist for the Oral Surgery Clinical Assessment and Treatment Services at NHS Heywood Middleton and Rochdale. Tariq Drabu also teaches and mentors postgraduate dentists in oral surgery at the UCLAN Dental Clinic in Preston.

Why Should You Screen for Oral Cancer?

Tariq Drabu is a leading dentist and specialist oral surgeon in the United Kingdom. He is also the owner of the successful Langley Dental Practice in Middleton. He advised recently that everyone of all ages should consider being screened for oral cancer as the number of new cases increases on an annual basis around the world.

Tariq Drabu advised that even though oral cancer is seen more in older men, he does have younger patients asking him why should they screen for this cancer, when it's men over sixty that are obviously in a higher risk bracket.

He shares his answers below:

What are the leading causes for oral cancer?

Tariq Drabu advised that more than ninety percent of oral cancer cases are lifestyle related. This is why older men are affected more as it often relates to tobacco use and alcohol consumption. But this does not mean that if you don't drink and you don't smoke you are not at risk.

Why should younger people also be screened?

Younger patients want to know why their mouths should be checked for oral cancer and the answer is relatively simple. According to Tariq Drabu there is a direct link between the HPV virus and oral cancer. This means that the younger generation are also at high risk and having a screening can help the cancer be identified in the early stages and treatment to be given.

What is the test?

In order to be tested for oral cancer, you will make an appointment with your dentist who will conduct a survey on any signs you may be experiencing. They will then do a thorough examination of your mouth, gums, lips and tongue. If any lesions are noticeable, they will arrange for you to have a biopsy.

What happens if my biopsy comes back positive?

Tariq Drabu advised that there are seven thousand six hundred new cases of oral cancer being diagnosed in the United Kingdom each and every year. As with any cancer the sooner it is noticed and diagnosed, the sooner treatment can start. Cancer caught in the early stages can increase life expectancy.

Treatments vary and the patient will be sent to an oncology department at their local hospital who will arrange to meet with them as soon as possible to discuss their treatment options. Treatment will be determined on the stage of the cancer.

Tariq Drabu Discusses Links Between Stress and Oral Health

Tariq Drabu is a leading dentist and specialist oral surgeon who was born and educated in 

Manchester. Today he owns the successful Langley Dental Practice catering to private and NHS patients in Middleton.

Tariq Drabu advised that there are direct links between stress and oral health and those under undue stress at home or work are more likely to suffer with tooth decay and sensitivity.

Bruxism

The first reason that someone under stress may suffer with their oral health is their increased risk of bruxism, or teeth grinding. Many people under stress will grind their teeth during sleep with no idea that they are doing it until someone points it out to them. This can cause serious dental problems, including causing teeth to literally crumble after being put through so much pressure. Tariq Drabu did mention that there are solutions that can help and reduce the risk of further damage, such as a mouth guard during hours of sleep.

Jaw clenching

Jaw clenching is another problem experienced by those with stress and can also lead to oral health issues moving forward. Jaw clenching puts undue pressure on the jaw and the teeth and as a result can increase chances of tooth decay. Patients must ensure that they follow a good oral health routine if they are aware that they are clenching their jaw to try and provide their teeth with the ongoing strength and care they need.

Weakened immune system

When stressed, your immune system also takes a knock. Your immune system is essential in fighting off disease and illnesses and with your immune system at a low, your chances of gum disease is increased. Periodontal disease is very serious, according to Tariq Drabu, and if ignored it can result in tooth loss.

If you are suffering from stress and you are catching colds and you feel your immune system may be compromised, make an appointment with your dentist to have your teeth and gums checked and professionally cleaned to reduce the risk of gum disease.

Poor oral health routines

With stress comes lack of sleep and trying to force yourself to get up and get going each day. With this also comes the risk of your oral health routines taking a back seat. Only brushing once a day instead of two or forgetting to brush all together is increased when you are under stress in the home or on the work front.

Do You Know How Much Sugar is in Your Food?

Tariq Drabu, a leading dentist and specialist oral surgeon, owner of the successful Langley Dental Practice in Manchester has advised that many of his patients are not fully aware of exactly how much sugar they are consuming each and every day.

This dentist advised that there has been a lot of hype over the years regarding sugar intake and the dental profession has been trying to educate patients on sugars and the dangers of these sugars. Sugars have a very negative impact on oral health and is the leading cause of dental decay in children, which leads to thousands of tooth extractions each year and a major drain on the NHS.

Tariq Drabu felt it necessary for everyone to understand how many grams of sugar they can find per one hundred grams in some of the more common foods and snacks consumed in the United Kingdom today.

Biscuits

Tariq Drabu did advise that everyone in the United Kingdom loves to sit in front of the fire on a cold afternoon with a lovely cup of tea and a couple of biscuits to tide them through until tea time. Interestingly, the most common biscuits will shock you in how much sugar they actually do contain.

• Jaffa cakes – 52 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving. That is more than fifty percent sugar.
• Chocolate digestives – 29.2 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving.
• Custard Creams – 29.8 grams of sugar per 100 grams serving.

Chocolates

Now and then parents will allow their children to have a chocolate as a treat. Sweets are the worst thing for oral health, the sugar sticks to the teeth, eating away at the hard enamel and causing unwelcome cavities which cause pain in the long run.

• Crunchie – 61.7 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving.
• Mars Bar – 68.1 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving.
• Snickers – 54.5 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving.

Spreads

So many parents will make the mistake of choosing honey as a healthy option when giving their children toast, over jams, for example. What you may not realise is that honey actually has more sugars than syrup. Honey will give you 84.1 grams of sugar per 100 grams, while golden syrup will give 80.5 grams per 100 gram.

Tariq Drabu advised that this is food for thought and should provide some insight, encouraging people to check labels and do research to ensure that they reduce their sugar intake moving forward.