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FAQ
Why visit the dental surgery regularly?
- Prevention: regular appointments give the dental team the opportunity to anticipate any problems and make sure the patient is doing their best to maintain his/her dental health.
- Minimal intervention: coming in regularly enables the dentist to catch any problems while they are still small and avoid major treatment.
- New advances: dentistry is advancing at a great speed - there may be new innovations since the last visit that could benefit the patient.
- Feelgood factor: it feels good to know one's teeth are healthy.
- Cosmetic effect: regular dental/hygiene appointments keep teeth clean and polished, particularly for those patients who have difficulty keeping their own teeth clean.
- Value for money: patients on dental health insurance schemes get better value for money if they attend regularly, as well as avoiding problems, which saves money and time for the dentist too.
- How often: It is now widely recognised that patients have different needs and may need to see the dentist at different intervals. Everyone, whether they have any natural teeth of their own or not, should see a dentist at least once a year.
What to do before my appointment and what to tell the dentist?
- Why you made the appointment - check-up or problem
- Whether your teeth or gums are sensitive to hot, cold or sweet things
- Have you had a bad taste in your mouth or bleeding gums
- Are any teeth bite or chew sensitive, or does food accumulate between your teeth
- Any new information about your medical health, from allergies to medicine you are taking
Why do we brush and floss our teeth?
- We must brush our teeth at least twice a day with a flouride toothpaste. The best is a soft bristle brush that can effectively remove the plaque and will not damage the gums.
- Floss at least once a day, best time is after your last meal. Flosses and dental tapes come in minty and other flavours, use the one you prefer. Just do it. A clever Professor once said "Only floss the ones you want to keep"
Why do dentists take x-rays?
- We do x-rays to do a proper examination - what the eyes can't see they can't treat. X-rays reveal:
- Cavities and holes, under old fillings and between the teeth and under the gum line
- If there is bone loss between the teeth - that can lead to gum disease and loss of teeth
- If there are any hidden pathalogy, like oral cancer and the start of abscesses
Why are my teeth sensitive?
- Dental sensitivity is a sharp, shooting pain in the teeth, usually experienced when consuming hot or cold food and drinks. This is very common, affecting 11% to 25% of adults, with women suffering more frequently than men.
- This usually occurs after gum recession, thru overbrushing or disease from exposed denture.
- This can also occur when teeth are worn away thru grinding and clenching of teeth. For sensitivity use a good flouride toothpaste, and to ease and prevent grinding a mouthguard or night biteguard are recommended.
Why do my teeth stain?
- Staining of the teeth is very common, and seems to affect men more commonly than women. Some people naturally have slightly yellow or grey teeth, but this does not necessarily mean that they are not healthy.
- There are 2 main types of tooth stain from the outside (extrinsic) or inside (intrinsic)
- Extrinsic stains may be caused by:
- Poor oral hygiene, plaque stuck on teeth can turn yellow
- Foods, eg tea, coffee, berries, curry, red wine and colas
- Iron tablets may leave black marks
- Mouthwashes containing the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine, eg Cordosyl
- Intrinsic stains may be caused by:
- Degeneration - Older people can develop brown staining on the teeth as the enamel wears thin
- Antibiotics such as tetracycline
- Swallowing of excess flouride toothpaste by young children can cause white flecks on the teeth
- Combination stains:
- Smoking can cause a combination of surface and, over the long term, intrinsic staining of the tooth structure
- Tooth decay can cause both intrinsic and extrinsic staining
- What to do about it:
- Extrinsic staining is relatively straight forward to remove, with a thorough scale and polish by the dentist or Oral Hygenist. Whitening toothpastes may be effective but are not in contact with the teeth for long enough to lighten the colour
- Intrinsic staining involves tooth bleaching done by the dentist and different techniques are available on request. It is never permanent and it is like bleaching your hair, it has to be done regularly.
Why do I have bad breath?
- Many people suffer from bad breath, up to 50% of the population have problems at some time in their lives. Possible reasons:
- Poor oral hygiene and eating certain foods like onions, garlic and drinking alcohol
- Smoking and chewing tobacco
- People on a diet that do not eat breakfast
- Diseases like diabetes or cancer
- People with dry mouths, often caused by medication, can be reduced by chewing sugar free dental gum
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