Headlines reporting the amount of caries in UK children's teeth have become, like the disease itself it seems, rampant in recent years. Most recently (at the time of writing), it is reported that health professionals want cigarette-style health warnings on sweet wrappers, in a bid to prevent tooth decay and obesity. Meanwhile the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry has launched a campaign encouraging all dentists to try and see four additional children under two in the coming year - to bring down the number of general anaesthetics for dental extractions.

The authors of our CPD article this month from the Unit of Dental Public Health at the School of Clinical Dentistry in Sheffield focus on this area. They say: ‘In 2015-16, in England alone, approximately 43,700 children aged 16 years and under were admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of dental caries, and most of these admissions were for the extraction of multiple teeth’.

The article considers dental general anaesthesia in more detail, with a particular focus on the impact of caries-related treatment under GA on the daily life of children and their families.

This month we also place the spotlight on the laboratory side of making a dental crown, from digital expert Ashley Byrne. Dentist and Corrective Exercise Specialist James Tang looks at how dental professionals can protect their spine; we meet two further multi-talented dental care professionals; and in the research section authors evaluate a periodontology training scheme pilot involving both dentists and DCPs.

We take a break in August, so have a fantastic summer and keep an eye on the BDJ Team Facebook page for regular updates.