Page 9 - link magazine

HEALTH MATTERS 9
Health. Matters Don't buy sugary nightime drinks says dentist
is: a new page forth....aga4ne Local dentist Brendan Ball has wel- The annual NHS dentistry costs Children withblackened stumps can
Your health is obviously very
comed the recent campaign to per- £1.4 billion, of which the Govern- be teased and can suffer psycho-
important and we've
introduced this page to give suade supermarkets to remove ment pays only £0.8 billion, the rest logidally.
sweets from supermarket check comes frompatient fees. In 1992, the "I appeal to parents to resist the
local healthpractitioner sa.
channei..for..lflfox*ätiöfl:on outs. consumer spent £4 billion on con- demands of their children for more
rnEttersbf lnterest He is also concerned about fectionery alone. This does not in- sugar," said Brendan. "They have
'nightime drinks' laced with sugar clude the purchase of foods with been conditioned to want sugar.
featured in television advertise- added sugar. Theirneed s can be changed, if you're
When were you ments helping babies go to sleep. "Parents are under pressure from willing to think about their dental
Brendan has written to BBC TV their children and the marketing of health. Children don't usually like a
last asked your presenter EstherRa ntzen asking her sugar products responds to this. In visit to the dentist. We would prefer
views on local to expose the harm sugar does to supermarkets they have to cope with not see them in pain."
young teeth, along the lines of the demands forsweets," said Brendan. The Brendan Ball dental prac-
health services? effective 'That's Life' programme "At night, if a baby won't settle,a TV tice is continuing to treat free chil-
What makes it easy or difficult on so-called children's health drinks advertisement showing a lovely con- dren under the NHS.
for you to use your Health Serv- several years ago. tented baby going to sleep under the
ices? Do you know what is on "I find it very frustrating that the influence of a nightime drink has a
offer? How do you find out if you amount of money available for powerful message.
don't? Would you like a wider health promotion is miniscule com- "The sugar producers don't care
range of services available in your pared to the huge budgets used by about the health risks, the market- Mr Ronn
local surgery or Health Centre? the sugar industry to push their ingof sweets and nightime drinks is
When were you last able to make products," said Brendan. "As den- cynically calculated to increase their
comments about,for example, the tists we are not officially allowed to profits. provides
hospital services? What services point out that some foods can be "The bugs in your mouth don't
do you need that are not easily harmful." give a damn where the carbohy- Magical
available? drate come from. The longer carbo- Entertainment
hydrates stay in the mouth, the more
The return of TB the action of the decaying acids on for Promotions,
the tooth enamel."
A recent 'World in Action' A child with emerging teeth go-
programme focussing on the Fetes and Parties.
ing to sleep after a sugary night time
increase in TB around the world drink is guaranteed to have decay
raised concern with many when he or she gets much older. Telephone:
people. Health Visitors, Alison Dentists all too often see the unu-
Naylor and Carolyn Trotman look 0793 - 617620
at the local situation. sual sight of rotting top front teeth,
often decayed as they breakthrough.
Earlier this century TB often meant
long hospital stays and premature
death. In the last 40 years, the
number of cases has decreased ten- HELP YOURSELF and
fold as a result of immunisation and
effective drug treatments. Once HELP SOMEONE ELSE!
again, though, the number of cases
is increasing-although this can vary
Anne Naji and Sue Webber
around the country. In particular
These are some of the ques- TBis increasingly prevalentamongst
tions that Anne Naji and Sue those who are HIV positive - whose
Webber from the Consumer In- natural immune system, the ability
volvement Project, will be ask- to fight infections, may be impaired.
ing the people of West Swindon
over the next few months. So who is at risk today?
The Consumer Involvement At present all children in Swin-
Project is developing ways of lis- don are immunised against TB at
tening to your needs and prefer- school. Swindon's Director of Pub-
ences. These will be fed through lic Health confirms that this will
to the part of the Health Service continue to be the case and that no
which purchases health care on additional measures are required for
your behalf. You may feel that the general public's safety.
nobody ever asks you or is inter- However, certain groups are con-
ested in what you think. The sidered to be more 'at risk'.
Swindon Health Authorityis try- Immigrants from areas where TB
ing to see how far it is possible to is particularly prevalent (India, Asia, FOR EVERY PACK OF NICOTINELL
take into account local people's Central and South America) are
views when planning services. screened on entry to UK. Similarly, PATCHES SOLD DURING MARCH,
It's now your opportunity to travellers to theseareas should check
be part of this discussion. they have themselves been vacci- WE WILL DONATE £1 TO COMIC RELIEF
nated.
Anne and Sue will be around
in West Swindon talking to peo- Any contacts of confirmed cases Ashington Way Pharmacy, Westlea
ple. You can make sure that you are routinely traced, tested and given Tel: 616848
are part of this discussion by ring- any appropriate treatment. In this
ing Anne on 420555 ext 2124. way the spread of the disease is
Are you content to let other contained. National No Smoking Day. 10 March
people make decisions on your For further advice contact your Red Nose Day. 12 March
NHS? local GP surgery or Health Visitor.