Minutes of July 2010
CLOUGH HALL RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13th JULY 2010 AT HOLLINWOOD SHELTERED HOUSING at 7.30pm
PRESENT :-
COMMITTEE: - G Sutton ,C Brough, T Dale, C Brammer, B Collis
GUEST SPEAKER: - Mr John Shapter LDS, RCS
COUNCILLORS- Cllr G Locke, Cllr J Evans. Cllr K Robinson
RESIDENTS: - 18
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: - 27
APOLOGIES: - Cllr Silvia Burgess, Mike Moore, John Gallacher, Correna Gallacher, Dave Martin, Mary Martin, Paul & Sue Fisher, Sylvia Clough, Mr & Mrs F Harrison, Mr & Mrs A Kelly.
The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed the guest speaker, Mr John Shapter, thanking him for giving up his own time to attend. He explained that the minutes of the previous meeting and other handouts were available for residents to take, and gave the agenda for the evening.
The Chairman then spoke about the following items:
- A meeting recently held with Rebecca Wood, Communities reporter for BBC Radio Stoke; CHRA will be using their ‘What's On?' facility next year, and the Chairman will also use Radio Stoke to raise local issues.
- Local woodland maintenance - Cllr Silvia Burgess has asked Borough officials to look at trees in the area, but has received a negative response. The Chairman will continue to push this issue.
- The Westmorland Unit - no offer has been made for the building, and no positive interest shown.
- The speaker at the next meeting (on Tuesday September 28th) will be Nicola Wilson from Trading Standards; Nicola will talk about rogue traders, computer scams and No Cold Calling Zones - this is being considered for Clough Hall, but the costs involved need careful thought.
- Clough Hall School -
- - there is no news yet of a further computer course
- - a Summer Fete will take place on Monday July 19th from 2:15 to 3:30; proceeds will go to the Red Cross and Action Aid
- - the musical ‘Let's Twist Again' will be performed from Wednesday July 14th to Friday July 16th at 7:30pm; tickets cost £5 or £3.50 for concessions
- - a proper school uniform is to be introduced, and for the third year the school has been named as the most improved school by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
- - there is no information yet about future film shows.
- Safer Routes to School - two letters have been sent concerning traffic-calming measures in The Avenue, but no reply has been received; the Chairman suggested that this issue could be raised on Radio Stoke.
- Community Pay-back workers will be in the area shortly - the brook in the small wood behind Park Avenue is to be cleared.
The Chairman then invited John Shapter to speak.
John began by explaining that he is a qualified dentist, and that his aim is to give people information to enable them to look after their own teeth properly, which is crucial for their dental health. He said that dentists were taught how to repair damage, and not how to treat underlying problems; Stoke on Trent Community Dental Service has recently reported that the number of five year olds with dental decay has been reduced to 50%!
Teeth are not only necessary for eating, but for speech (especially the t/sh/s sounds) and communication, and are also important for personal appearance. However, white teeth are not seen as desirable by all cultures - in Vietnam black teeth are preferred!
Dental disease is a disease of affluence; sugar is now affordable by everyone and this has led to the problem of tooth decay. During the Second World War sugar was rationed and decay decreased; when rationing ended and sweets became much more common then the incidence of tooth decay rocketed.
John then talked about tooth problems through the ages; skulls from the Indus Valley Civilisation (circa 3,000 BC) have teeth which show signs of decay, and the Ancient Egyptians poured molten gold into tooth cavities. The Etruscans (pre-Roman) made bridges for teeth, and in the Middle Ages in Europe barber surgeons would extract teeth. George Washington had false teeth made of ivory, and in the Victorian era there were fairground dentists who charged the audience (and not the hapless patient) for their entertainment. In 1921 a Dental Act was passed which made the profession accountable for the first time, but from the time of the Indus Valley Civilisation there has been little progression in the treatment of tooth decay.
John went on to explain that dentists treat both gum disease and dental decay, which are two distinctly separate diseases. Everyone has a different cocktail of bacteria in the mouth, which act on the sugar in food to produce the acid and plaque which affect teeth and gums. Acid production is highest shortly after eating and it then tails off over the next hour or two; it is therefore important to leave gaps between eating of about two hours and not to snack constantly.
He then exploded the following dental myths:
•1) We brush our teeth to remove food debris.
No, food debris in fact does no harm; we brush to remove bacteria, and the best time to brush is before eating or a couple of hours afterwards. The bacterial action softens the tooth enamel, and if we brush immediately after a meal we are brushing away the enamel. Over the next two hours saliva will help to re-harden the enamel, so brush before breakfast and not afterwards.
Food doesn't cause decay - bacteria does!
•2) Brushing stops decay.
No, a toothbrush doesn't access the fissures in the teeth or the gaps where the teeth meet,
and 60% of decay occurs in the fissures. It is important to use dental floss, and to deprive the
bacteria of the sugar they need.
•3) It doesn't matter if you lose your teeth, you can always wear dentures.
No, some people cannot get on with dentures and can't ever wear them.
•4) Don't eat too many sweets at once to avoid decay.
No, it is better to eat all of them at once or to eat them straight after a meal; leaving gaps
between eating allows the enamel to recover. Processed foods also contain sugar, so it is
important to read labels.
•5) Going to see the hygienist every 6 months keeps gums healthy.
Not really; a visit to the hygienist only gives clinical benefit for 2 weeks, then the bacteria will
be back. Cleaning teeth well means that trips to the hygienist are not necessary.
•6) It is best to have a check-up every 6 months.
No, the time between check-ups depends on the state of the teeth; it can be one month or 12 months. However, a good reason to have a check at least every 12 months is that the dentist will also look for signs of oral cancer - if this is caught in the early stages then survival rates are very good. Even people with no teeth of their own need to have this check.
•7) People with ‘soft' teeth get more decay.
There is no such thing as ‘soft' teeth - the flora of the mouth determine whether someone
Is likely to get tooth decay, and dietary habits then make it a reality.
•8) Your dentist is responsible for your dental health.
No, you are!
Finally, John recommended a website (http://www.toothacademy.co.uk/) from which an ebook can be downloaded which gives 50 tips about looking after your teeth.
The Chairman thanked John for a very interesting and informative talk. Following a break for refreshments he asked residents to let him know of any issues or concerns which they would like CHRA to focus on. Kyle Robinson, the new Labour Councillor for Butt Lane introduced himself and listed issues which concern him, saying that he would work closely with Cllrs Silvia Burgess and Dennis Richards.
Following the raffle the meeting was closed.
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G Sutton (Chairman)