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Woman's Hour

Women and Teeth

Duration: 45 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

In the Woman's Hour dental clinic Dr Uchenna Okoye, Clinical Director of the London Smiling Dental Group and and Mrs Linda Hillman, Consultant in Dental Public Health for Public Health, England are on hand to answer all the questions about teeth you can never get round to asking when you're in the dentist's chair. How are women's teeth affected by pregnancy and menopause? Do veneers last? And, should wine be drunk through a straw?

Rachel Bairsto, Curator at the British Dental Association Museum on why a lovely pair of pink vulcanite dentures were a good investment for young women in the past And, the legacy of Lilian Lindsay, the first woman to qualify as a dentist in the UK in 1895.

If you don't clean your teeth for 12 years your smile isn't exactly Hollywood. Liz Leonard talks to Sharon, Debbie, Ellen & Elaine at Turning Point Scotland 218 in Glasgow, a service which supports women involved in the criminal justice system. They've all suffered pain and shame because of bad teeth but never talk about it, even to each other.

Leigh and Ruth both saved hard to transform their teeth after years of smiling with their mouths closed. They tell Jane the difference it has made to their confidence.

Cosmetic dentistry and tooth whitening are big business and for many a worthwhile investment . But is the bar now too high and is the selfie to blame for the rise in dental dissatisfaction? Nicole Mowbray had cosmetic work done on her teeth and now urges those who don't really need it to steer well clear. Show less

Contributors

Presenter:
Jane Garvey
Interviewed Guest:
Uchenna Okoye
Interviewed Guest:
Linda Hillman
Interviewed Guest:
Rachel Bairsto
Interviewed Guest:
Nicole Mowbray
Producer:
Erin Riley

About this data

This data is drawn from the data stream that informs BBC's iPlayer and Sounds. The information shows what was scheduled to be broadcast, meaning it was/is subject to change and may not be accurate. More