Implant Dentist Dr Johan Hartshorne

30/12/2024

Value-based Oral Health Care
My best advise to cover practically almost 60% of all your dental and gum problems ( dental decay and gums disease)
1. Focus on early detection - Regular dental check-ups
2. Arm yourself with an ultrasonic toothbrush
3. Brush for 3 minutes, twice daily

29/10/2019

Antibiotics are not necessary for most toothaches, according to a new guideline from the American Dental Association. Learn when to prescribe and when not to prescribe at:

As part of the ADA's pledged commitment to the U.S. government's Antimicrobial Resistance Challenge, the ADA Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry presents a clinical practice guideline on antibiotic use for the urgent management of pulpal- and periapical-related dental pain and intra-oral swelling.

31/08/2019

If you, your family and friends are interested in saving their teeth and reducing their risk of systemic diseases and conditions, then you should seriously consider having a periodontal screening done!

26/06/2019

Gum disease (Periodontitis)
The latest evidence supports a strong association between periodontitis and adverse systemic health outcomes, including heart disease, diabetes, malignancies and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Research revealed that patients with periodontitis have dysfunction of their immune system induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis, a rogue and opportunistic gum pathogen. The study revealed that the systemic immune dysfunction returned to normal 3 weeks following treatment.

17/06/2019

Almost completed the most challenging and exciting research project I have ever
Time to date 2 years. Another 6 months to completion of writing 7 articles for submission to publication.
Research question ; What is the link between periodontitis (gum disease) and systemic disease; secondly, is periodontitis a systemic risk?
This research has taken me on a incredible journey through the dark underworld of microorganisms in the human body, their tactics used to subvert the host immune system, how bacteria, immune cells, host tissues and tumor cells communicate with each other, resulting in unknown biological effect (disease)
The critical players in this game is:
1. Gum pathogens, in particular Porphyromonas gingivalis - a master at immune subversion and evasion.
2. Immune system- confused between protection and destruction.
3. Host tissues and organs - the innocent bystanders!
Abovementioned cells communicate through nanosized extracellular vesicles containing bioactive cargo and messenger molecules to produce a biologic effect (disease) depending on genetic factors, presence of inflammation or systemic disease, environmental factors, and lifestyle habits.
The link between periodontitis an systemic disease are extracellular vesicles.
Periodontitis (gum disease) is indeed a systemic risk to your heath.
Recommendations:
1. Maintain good oral health at all times
2. Do not smoke
3. Limit and contain stress
4. Maintain good nutrision
5. Regular periodontal screening
6. Regular health check

20/03/2019

The real story will soon be revealed. The guardians of our health and disease are extracellular vesicles (EVs) small nano-sized vesicles secreted by human cells ( called exosomes) and bacteria ( called outer membrane vesicles) These EVs carry messenger molecules that communicate the good, bad and evil, between cells in the human body. They modulate inflammatory and immune responses, cell life and death.

22/07/2018

Latest research reveal that bacterial communities that inhabit the oral cavity in the form of a dental biofilm or plaque, in combination with a deregulated host immune response and environmental factors such as smoking can undergo an imbalance or dysbiosis leading to periodontal disease and pay the way for other systemic and chronic diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, artherosclerosis and cancer.

11/07/2018

“A patient with gingivitis (gum infection) can revert to a state of health, but a periodontitis patient remains a periodontitis patient for life, even following successful therapy, and requires life-long supportive care to prevent recurrence of disease. “ (Chapple et al, 2018)
A very powerful statement that everyone ( patients, dentists, doctors, and medical specialists) has to take note of.

25/12/2017

To all my patients and friends, thank you for your support during 2017. I wish you all a joyous festive season and a happy and well earned holiday, and prosperous 2018

09/09/2017

Caring for braces during orthodontic treatment:
Braces are the most effective, predictable, successful, and cost-effective way of straightening and realigning your teeth to improve your smile, but it is important to care for them (teeth and braces) properly.

Best practices:
1. Practice good oral hygiene - brush and floss regularly.
2. Regular check-ups and adjustments are important- don't skip appointments!
3. Don't eat hard and sticky foods - these will break your braces.
4. Foods that are sour and sweet will increase your risk of decalcification and tooth decay.
5. Avoid activities that could damage your braces , teeth and mouth. If you are playing contact sports wear a mouth guard over your braces.

08/09/2017

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is a common chronic mucocutaneous inflammatory condition of the oral mucosa. These lesionsare non- remissive, and only symptomatic treatment exist. The precise cause of OLP are hardly understood.
Genetic factors, stress , trauma and infection are possible predisposing factors. Current research show that there is no causal relationship between microbial infection and OLP.
Reference: Molecular Oral Biology, Accepted for publication: 4/9/2017

19/08/2017

A successful and predictable root canal filling must always be based on two vey important biological principles: can infection in all the root systems be properly eradicated, and secondly is the tooth restorable. If either of these two critical factors cannot be satisfied Then you are wasting your time and money and will indeed be placing your health at risk. A 3D CBCT scan is now becoming the standard of care and imperative when in doubt about the root canal morphology. Is is better practice to know the actual number of canals in a tooth before needless excavation is started and tooth structure is undermined rendering the tooth more susceptible to chronic infection and fracture. Don't assume or take any tooth for granted. Take a 3D CBCT scan when in doubt about root canal morphology, and clinical diagnosis. It is ethically, biologically and financially in the patients best interest.