Editor’s blog 8: I predict a riot

Hello once again, and welcome to the latest editor’s blog\. With a lot of chat going on in the forum it’s proving to be a great time for the website.

I guess you can all understand the title of this blog? I am not predicting a real riot or anything, just making a reference to a wicked band that you can read about further down this blog. Hmm, these titles are getting more obscure I think, I will have to make them more fitting.

But anyway…with WAC fast approaching, I turn my eyes to what’s going on, and in this week’s blog, there’s a celebrity news story and one about natural ingredients to fight bad breath. What a blog I hear you say, and I answer, read on my friends!

Looking at WAC
As you will be well aware, as from 1 August 2008, all hygienists will have to gain verifiable CPD hours. This is where WAC can support and help you! This event is worth 14 verifiable CPD hours, which is a considerable proportion of the verifiable CPD hours that you will need to start gaining – so why not get a head start?

Key speakers on the WAC Hygienist programme include Ann Gilbert, Juliette Reeves, Mhari Coxon and Amanda Gallie. Other main speakers include Anita Jupp, Mark Oborn, Patrick Lucocq, Ash Parmar, Rahul Doshi, Ian Buckle, Terence Donovan and John Cranham, plus more.

WAC 2008, and certainly the Hygienist Programme should be a definite date in your diary! The event has quickly established itself as one of the UK’s finest practical aesthetic dentistry events. Delegates from last year have positively commented: ‘This is my third consecutive year and I thoroughly recommend WAC for the whole team. The outstanding speakers have something for each team member. You will always learn something new and improve your way of doing things.’

It’s natural
A story that caught my attention this week was to do with magnolia bark extract – a traditional Chinese medicine – possibly being the newest weapon in the war on bad breath. Wrigley said that it has added the germ-killing compound to their gum and mints. The hope is to not simply mask bad breath, as most strongly flavoured mints and gums do, but to kill odour-causing bacteria.

Magnolia bark extract has long been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to treat fever, headache and stress – and has proven effective against germs that cause ulcers.

Recent studies have shown it has low toxicity and few side-effects. Most bad breath occurs when bacteria in the mouth break down proteins, producing foul-smelling sulphur compounds. But many anti-microbial agents cause nasty side-effects like tooth staining, making them impractical for oral care. Researchers from Wrigley tested magnolia bark extract on cultures of three types of oral micro-organisms. The extract killed 99.9% of the micro-organisms within five minutes, the researchers said. Incredible news, especially if you’re a fan of natural ingredients.

Oh my God I can’t believe it…
On the eve of their biggest gig of the year, the Kaiser Chiefs were playing to a smaller audience altogether – performing an opening ceremony for their dentist on Friday. The million-selling band then went on to play to a capacity hometown crowd at Elland Road stadium in Leeds on Saturday.

Only a handful of press and public were on hand to watch the Kaisers cut the tape at The Dental Studio surgery in East Ardsley, Wakefield. The band even meddled with the drills and dental tools as they celebrated the extension and refurbishment of the surgery.

Drummer Nick Hodgson’s sister-in-law, Martina Hodgson, is principal dentist at the practice and has been looking after the rock group’s teeth for six years since she met them at Leeds University.

The boys agreed to pop in to cut the ribbon and fool about with the equipment as they took a break from preparations for their concert. How cool is that? I would love to see more celebrity openings like this, although I’m a big fan of the band, so I’m probably still green with envy from not being able to be there!

In the end
So that wraps it up for this blog. I’ll be back next week, so until then, take care and get on those forums people, there’s a lot we need to talk about! If you’ve got any news or views you would like to get onto the site, post in the forums or email me [email protected].

Tom Roberts
Managing Editor

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01923 851756

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