Up to a fifth of children in the US do not see a dentist on a regular basis.

A fifth of children in the US do not see a dentist every year, new figures have shown.

Research carried out by the Pew Centre revealed most US states lack key policies to ensure children are provided with annual dental health check-ups, USA Today reported.

Shelly Gehshan, director of the Pew Children’s Dental Campaign, commented: “Americans will be spending $106 billion (£68.66 billion) on dental care this year. Much of that pays for costly treatments such as fillings and root canals, which have their origins in poor childhood dental care.”

Ms Genshan added preventative care would ultimately be more cost-effective.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, three NHS emergency dentistry centres are to be closed in Northamptonshire in order to ensure patients see the same dentist whenever they have a check-up.

Premises at St Leonard’s Road, Far Cotton, as well as in Daventry and Corby, are to shut down in order to provide greater continuity in care.

Saliva production problems could be due to infection.

Anyone who suffers from an over-production of saliva could be finding the malady increasingly frustrating, as well as embarrassing, but a simply trip to the emergency dentist might be able to fix the complaint.

Neil Bateman, consultant ENT surgeon at the Royal Hallamshire and Sheffield Children’s Hospitals, told the Telegraph that excessive salivation could be caused by infecion of the salivary glands and this could be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.

Other possible conditions include laryngopharyngeal reflux – a condition wherby problems such as heartburn or acid reflux stimulate production of saliva from the glands and this can be treated with anti-reflux medication.

Elsewhere, Beauty writer Zara Rabinowicz recently claimed the trend for men to be more obsessed about their appearance has continued in recent months and is unlikely to end in the near future.

She noted males are using more beauty products than ever before and are taking more care to look their best at all times – while boosting their smile could be achieved by a trip to the dentist.

Brits advised on the importance of good oral health.

Oral hygiene cannot be stressed enough as it is intrinsically linked to overall health and wellbeing, it has been claimed.

Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that gum disease can have serious adverse effects on the rest of the body – not just the gums – and this can be particularly devastating in pregnant women, as the illness has been linked to an increased likelihood of still birth.

Chris Davenport, a dental hygienist and chief executive officer of On-Site Dentistry, told the publication: “Too often we don’t take oral hygiene seriously enough. We think it’s just about bad breath. But I think there are some studies out there that can’t be ignored.”

Elsewhere, the American Academy of Periodontology recently noted that anyone who has bleeding gums should be aware that this is one of the earliest signs of gum disease and could be an indicator of other underlying dental health issues.

However, the organisation claimed that advances in dental technology – such as dental implants – now mean teeth lost to gum disease can be replaced.

Gum disease facts for those who do not understand the affliction.

A number of common misconceptions surrounding gum disease have been dispelled by the American Academy of Periodontology.

The organisation noted that anyone who has bleeding gums should be aware that this is one of the earliest signs of gum disease and could be an indicator of other underlying dental health issues.

In addition, it addressed the issue that a tooth lost to gum disease cannot be replaced. This is not the case, as advances in dental technology – such as dental implants – now mean these teeth can be replaced.

Elsewhere, research carried out by Professor Saso Ivanovski at Brisbane’s Griffith University has shown that harvested cells surrounding ligaments around the teeth of sufferers can be used to regenerate lost tissue, ABC News reported.

He noted that one in ten sufferers of gum disease end up losing teeth and this treatment could be one way of addressing this statistic.

People who have anxiety anout dentists could be having bad dreams.

The British Dental Health Foundation has called for people to be up front about any dentistry nightmares and to take the time to get regular check-ups.

Dentistry.co.uk reported the organisation has claimed anxiety about dentistry can cause people to have bad dreams and this should be tackled head on by facing their fear and visiting a dentist.

Foundation chief executive Dr Nigel Carter, said: “Don’t ignore any warning signs or concerns you have about your teeth – make an appointment to visit your dentist as soon as possible when signs of gum disease such as loose teeth or regular infections are present.”

Elsewhere, Cosmetic Dentistry Guide recently reported a study has been carried out which has found a link between children who have psychological problems and fears over the dentist.

Research from the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy revealed children from turbulent family backgrounds are more likely to have a fear of visiting the dentist.

People who smoke could be severely damaging their oral health.

Smokers have been warned that the habit could be damaging to their oral health.

Cosmetic Dentistry Guide reported New Jersey emergency dentistry professional Dr Sherzoy, who practices in Bergen County, said that smoking can cause both tooth and bone loss in the jaw.

He noted the habit causes bad breath, tooth discolouration, inflammation of saliva producing glands, increased build-up of plaque and increased risk of developing leukoplakia – white patches within your mouth.

Elsewhere, cosmetic dentist Dr Thomas Connelly told the Huffington Post that having poor oral health could be a reason many people fail to get a good night’s sleep.

He noted people could be unaware of the fact they suffer from bruxism – otherwise known as teeth grinding – and this could be causing them to miss out on a key phase of the sleep cycle.

Olympic silver medallist breaks his tooth.

Men’s Olympic luge silver medallist David Moeller has broken a tooth after he bit down too hard on his medal during a photo op.

The 28-year-old German bit off more than he could chew when photographers asked him to carry out the obligatory bite on his prize – to prove its authenticity.

Moeller noted: “It is annoying when you can’t smile as you normally do. And because I want to have nice pictures and happy memories of my Olympic Games, I went to the dentist to get it repaired.”

Meanwhile, gold medal winner Felix Loch carried out the pose for photographers without a hitch – the sign of a true champion.

Elsewhere, WorlDental recently reported anyone who has broken a tooth has been advised not to panic and instead to wash their mouth with warm water and to try to stop any bleeding – while remembering to keep hold of any bits of tooth that have fallen out.

Broken teeth can be repaired by an emergency dentist.

A broken or chipped tooth can be extremely painful, but people have been advised there are a number of ways to fix this problem.

WorlDental reported anyone afflicted with this problem has been advised not to panic and instead to wash their mouth with warm water and to try to stop any bleeding – while remembering to keep hold of any bits of tooth that have fallen out.

Individuals should then contact an emergency dentist who in many cases can repair the tooth if it is not significantly fractured. If this is the case, then the dentist can carry out an extraction and replace the missing tooth with a dental implant or a bridge.

Elsewhere, research carried out by George Huang, the Herbert Schilder chair in endodontics and director of the postdoctoral programme in endodontics at the School of Dental Medicine, recently highlighted a new technique that could be used to re-grow broken or decayed teeth.

The procedure works by extracting living stem cells and using them to create any missing structures within a mature tooth.

Teeth can be protected when playing sports.

Wearing a mouthguard can be an important part of protecting the teeth when playing sports, it has been claimed.  

North Bay Today reported the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) has recommended that all athletes use these devices to ensure that the rough and tumble of sport does not impact on their oral health.

Dr Don Friedlander, president of the CDA, told the publication: “Wearing a mouthguard to protect the mouth is obviously a part of the winners’ game so be sure to wear yours too and keep your teeth intact.”

Elsewhere, John E Peterson recently wrote in a blog for the Emporia Gazette that people of all ages should remember to floss daily in order to improve their oral health.

He claimed the mouth contains more than 700 different kinds of bacteria and left unchecked these can multiply – especially in areas where brushing cannot reach – and cause tooth decay.

Fluoride could harm bones, it has been claimed.

A campaign to reduce the amount of fluoride in water has published research claiming excess amounts of the chemical can have a detrimental impact on health.

Cosmetic Dentistry Guide reported the group UK Against Fluoridation (UAF) has pointed to research carried out in New Zealand which showed around 30 per cent of children in areas of the country that have fluoride in their water supply are suffering adverse effects.

The report claimed fluoride had made these kids more susceptible to musculoskeletal disease, such as carpal bone hardening, as well as impacting on their oral health.

Elsewhere, researchers for the Cochrane Oral Health Group recently highlighted the importance of fluoride in helping children’s teeth stay healthy.

A study carried out by the organisation revealed a minimum concentration of fluoride in children’s toothpastes of 1,000 parts per million could have a significantly positive impact on oral health.