StoneRock Dental Care

  • About Us
    • Patient Journey
    • Testimonials
    • Our Fees
    • StoneRock Prevention and Platinum Plan Membership
    • The Gentle Dental Philosophy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Access Statement
  • Our Team
    • Ian Kerr
    • Russell Blanchard
    • Antonio de Vivo
    • Guy McLellan
    • Matthew McNulty
    • Arwa Al-Khaburi
    • Hygiene Team
    • Pawel Lasota
    • Nursing Team
    • Customer Service Team
    • Osteopath Team
    • Chiropractic Clinic
  • Treatments
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
      • Whitening
      • Bridges
      • Porcelain Crowns
      • Porcelain Veneers
      • Direct Composites – white fillings
    • Invisalign
    • Adult Orthodontics
      • Inman Aligner
    • Smile Solutions
    • Family Dentistry
    • Wedding Day Smiles
    • StoneRock Facial Clinic
      • Non Surgical Facial Treatments
      • Plasma Rich Growth Factor (PRGF) Facelift
    • Periodontal Care
    • Hygienist Care
    • Osteopath Clinic
    • Dental Health
    • Dental Pain
    • Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
    • Smoking Cessation
  • Implant Clinic
    • All on 4 Implants
    • Implant Retained Crowns
    • Implant Retained Bridges
    • Mind The Gap – Missing Teeth
    • Implant Fees
  • FAQs
    • What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
      • Cosmetic Dentistry – Frequently Asked Questions
    • Inman Aligner FAQs
    • What is a Root Canal Filling?
    • What is an Dental Implant?
    • What is a Crown?
    • What is Fibre Reinforced Composite?
    • What is a Veneer?
    • What’s in a Smile?
    • What are Dentures?
    • What is PRGF® ?
  • News
  • Contact Us
    • A Healthy Mouth, Our Top Ten Tips
    • Ask A Question
    • Patient Referral
    • Links

Toothbrush and tooth paste soon to be history? No!

September 22, 2008 by Ian Kerr

Congratulations to Rebecca Smith of The Daily Telegraph for this weeks grossly inflated claims. Her article “Toothbrush and the drill could soon be history”sticks to the strict code of making something out of nothing that all science writers seem to do now. Her use of the word “could” is oustanding using it 4 times in the first few paragraphs to show us what our future might be like.

Sadly the word “could” can be inserted in to almost any sentence to make what ever claim you feel like with impunity. She is of course correct the dentists drill could soon be redundant but there is absolutely no reason to believe this to be the case from her article. The piece relates to remineralisation techniques and a photo activated disinfection system both of which are of use in minimally invasive procedures when treating minor cavities. It is lovely to think that these will change our approaches in years to come and I am very hopeful that a probiotic approach using xylitol and calcium phospate gels will help prevent early cavities but none of these systems will remove the need for conventional management of the tens of millions of already filled teeth. Clearly a dental drill will be needed for several decades to manage these teeth.

The good news is that the conventional management of these teeth can be done in a pain free, comfortable procedure that, when combined with existing disinfection techniques and traditional oral hygiene instruction can provide very predictable results.  All new developments that help with this are warmly welcomed but talk of replacement of drills and tooth brushes is wildly off the mark. Although I could be wrong I suppose.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Behind the Headlines

About Ian Kerr

Dr Ian Kerr BDS qualified in 1989 from Newcastle University Dental School and has worked ever since in both private practice and hospital settings. Following a short stint in a busy general practice in the North East Dr Kerr went to live and work in Trinidad, where he learnt a wide range of surgical skills and developed an interest in the treatment of tempero-mandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). On returning to the UK in 1994 Dr Kerr worked in a prestigious private practice in Bromley in Kent. During his time there he completed extensive post graduate training in advanced restorative techniques and further advanced his interest in TMD.

Sign up to our newsletter

Sign up to the quarterly StoneRock newsletter, to be kept informed of our latest news, events and special offers plus educational pieces about dental health.

Connect with StoneRock

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search

Latest News

  • LLM by Research for Ian Kerr BDS MSc
  • Invisalign
  • Invisalign Open Evening May 10th

StoneRock on Facebook

This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: Server configuration issue

About StoneRock Dental Care

StoneRock Dental Care is a stunning dental practice in Hawkhurst, Nr Cranbrook on the Kent and East Sussex border. We provide every level of care, from routine family dental visits to complete cosmetic dental makeovers, including dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, bridges and other cosmetic dental and facial aesthetic techniques.

We know how hard it can be to choose a dentist and we know how tough it can be to decide what treatment is right for you, therefore we put your comfort and your well being at the heart of every treatment that we provide.

You can contact us on 01580 752202 or info@stonerock.co.uk

Latest News

  • LLM by Research for Ian Kerr BDS MSc
  • Invisalign
  • Invisalign Open Evening May 10th
  • Administration Manager Job Role
  • Qualified Dental Nurse
  • Receptionist Job
  • Children’s Dental Health
  • Trainee Dental Nurse

Follow us on Twitter

  • StoneRock remains open. Currently there are no restrictions with regard to medical treatment, it is both safe and e… https://t.co/Envx37AI7Fover a year ago
  • https://t.co/Mhzk0GyGLN https://t.co/9zQs4dijTvover a year ago
  • https://t.co/DZlEnyMPmv https://t.co/DoIs1YjNvEover a year ago

© Copyright 2023 StoneRock Dental Care, All Rights Reserved · Legal · Cookie Policy · Site by Nick Ebdon

StoneRock Dental Care is a trading name of SR Moors Limited · Registered Office: Stonerock House, High Street, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4AG · Registered in England and Wales, Number: 6896953