Archive for April, 2010

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Protect yourself from tooth and gum disease at Leeds dentist

Friday, April 9th, 2010

It is very important to look after your teeth and gums. It is all to easy to assume that they will be fine as long as they are not causing you any problems and carry on with your simple routine of brushing in the morning and evening. But in reality, your teeth need a lot more care and when it’s too late you really might regret not being more careful about how you took care of them.

Tooth and gum disease is not a laughing matter. Just ask anyone who has suffered from the pain of toothache or an abscessed tooth. Even those who take relatively good care of their teeth with effective brushing and flossing can still be at risk form dental or periodontal disease. It is important that you make sure you see your dentist every six months to keep your teeth as clean and healthy as possible.

Tooth and gum disease begins when bacteria and plaque is allowed to build up on the surface of the teeth or gums. This reacts and releases an acid, which gradually erodes the protective enamel layer of the teeth and on the gums it causes the tissue to break down. In both cases this may ultimately lead to infection which can be very painful and lead to lost gum tissue or even lost teeth. Not only will this be very unpleasant but may also cost a small fortune in dental bills to restore the appearance of the teeth.

Looking after your teeth only takes a few minutes a day extra cleaning and half an hour every six months at a Leeds dentist. It is a small sacrifice to protect yourself from what may otherwise be many months or even years of anxiety and suffering because of unhealthy teeth.

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Stop teeth grinding in sleep – Visit Central Leeds dentist

Friday, April 9th, 2010

There are many conditions that affect us when we sleep. Two of the most common are snoring and sleep apnea. Both of these affect the way we sleep and can cause associated health problems during the day. Another less common but also debilitating sleep disorder is known as bruxism.

This involves sub-conscious teeth grinding that can cause enormous damage to the tooth enamel leading to long-term dental damage. It also causes many muscular problems to do with the head, neck and jaw. Bruxism can also be very disturbing for partners who share the same bed but there are easy ways to treat it.

For years it was assumed that bruxism was caused by stress or anxiety during your waking life. In some cases this is still true but dentists have successfully proven that the majority of cases are caused by a misalignment of the teeth or jaw. Incorrect alignment can lead to great discomfort that manifests itself as sub-conscious grinding. The muscular spasms that cause the grinding can be continual and over time will wear away the protective tooth enamel on the surface of the teeth. Once this enamel has been damaged or destroyed it cannot be replaced and exposes the teeth to many problems such as infections and even permanent loss.

Central Leeds dentists can prevent bruxism by fitting a specially designed mouth guard to be worn when sleeping. This protects the teeth from further damage while dentists try to reconfigure the jaw to correct any alignment issues. This is a complex process but one that can be achieved through various dental appliances.

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The many reasons to get teeth whitened by Leeds dentist

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

There are many reasons to choose to have a teeth whitening treatment from a Leeds dentist. The most obvious and probably most popular,is to make yourself look more attractive and boost self-esteem. Having stained or discoloured teeth can ruin the appearance of your smile and make you look much older than you actually are. This is because teeth tend to change colour naturally over time, becoming less white. So the whiter your teeth, the younger you appear to be, within natural limitations of course.

Restoring the teeth to their more natural, healthier colour therefore can give you a massive confidence boost and make you feel much more comfortable with your smile. Most people could probably benefit from teeth whitening, even for just a subtle improvement.

Other people opt for teeth whitening treatments because they think it can help them in their professional lives. Looking younger can definitely be an advantage in the modern business world, especially if you are dealing with clients on a daily basis. Having a healthy and confident smile can be a great advantage in the workplace and could even help you to get that promotion you have been after.

Some medications and medical treatments can cause the teeth to lose their natural colour. When patients are through with treatment or have stopped taking medication they may wish to have their teeth restored to disguise the effects.

Perhaps the most important reason why people have teeth whitening treatments is because the procedure is safe, affordable and effective. Porcelain veneers or even more extreme cosmetic surgery can cost thousands of pounds but teeth whitening starts for less than a hundred. Many people don’t have thousands of pounds to spare on their teeth but can make a real cosmetic difference for only a fraction of that cost.

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Alternatives to sweets to avert gum disease from Leeds dentist

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

It is fairly common knowledge that sweet and sugary foods are bad for you teeth because they cause plaque and bacteria to stick to the surfaces of the teeth and gums where they do most damage. Sugary and starchy foods also react with the plaque to release acid, which erodes the gum tissue and tooth enamel. This causes gum disease and dental cavities leading to many dental health problems such as abscesses and infections, and even ultimately tooth loss. The main problem with sweet foods is that they are especially difficult to resist, especially for children who really need to look after their teeth. Sweet foods can also be responsible for bad breath as they encourage the growth of bacteria and associated sulphurous acids.

How do you eat more healthily for you teeth but still enjoy sweet foods? Foods like raisins and grapes make excellent sweet snacks and contain natural sugars. Sugar free gum may also be able to satisfy your craving but the reality is that most foods will contain some material damaging to your teeth. The secret to eating healthily for your teeth is to eat food with low sugar and keep up an effective dental hygiene routine. The importance of brushing and flossing for the health of your teeth cannot be stressed enough. Even of you were to eat sugary sweets, effective cleaning immediately afterward would limit the amount of damage. You should ideally brush your teeth after every meal, or at the very least, drink water to rinse your mouth. Ask a Leeds dentist for more information about which foods are better for your teeth and about effective dental hygiene. This way you can be sure you are doing all you can to protect your teeth from cavities and unpleasant dental complications.

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Tips on taking good acre of your teeth from City of Leeds dentist

Monday, April 5th, 2010

924884_blogYou should never take your teeth for granted. It is important to keep up good standards of oral health and report any problems to your dentist as soon as possible. Here are some tips on taking good care of your teeth.

You should brush your teeth twice a day for at least three minutes using an appropriate brush, ideally after main meals. You should use a soft bristled brush as it is better for your gums and more effective for removing plaque from flat surfaces. Hold the brush at a slight angle to the teeth pointing towards the gums for maximum cleaning potential. It is important that your gums get clean as well as your teeth but remember not to brush too hard. Toothbrushes get worn out so remember to replace yours every three or four months. Your dentist may also recommend that you use an electric toothbrush as these can be more effective.

Brushing can’t reach all the spaces in the mouth, especially the smaller gaps between the teeth and between teeth and gums. This is why it is so important to floss at least once a day. This helps to remove plaque and small food particles from between the teeth. If you have trouble flossing your teeth you could try using s waxed floss which could make it easier and always remember to floss the back teeth as well as the front, even if it is more difficult.

Finally, always remember to report problems to your dentist as soon as you notice them. Early treatment is better fro al forms of dental treatment and outing it off could make the difference between effective treatment and unpleasant dental procedures. See your City of Leeds dentist every six months and you will be able to keep on top of any dental problems that arise.

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Want Cleaner teeth? – Scaling and polishing from Leeds dentist

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Plaque is the soft, sticky substance that surrounds the teeth. It is mostly made from bacteria and releases acid that dissolves minerals in the enamel of the tooth, causing dental cavities, tooth decay and infections. Plaque that builds up around the gums can break down gum tissue leading to painful gum disease, which results in bleeding and possibly even heart disease. It is therefore very important to keep plaque under control with effective brushing and flossing at home.

However, sometime if plaque is left for too long it can harden and become tartar. This is a yellow-brown substance that is very difficult or impossible to remove with a regular toothbrush. Tartar will need to be removed by a dentist in a process known as scaling. The dentist or hygienist will use a special tool to carry out the scaling process to remove tartar. It is also possible to remove stains caused by food or drink using a process called polishing.

Hand scalers are manual tools to scrape away tartar from the teeth. It may not be the most pleasant experience you will ever have but the dentist will be careful to limit the discomfort as much as possible. Obviously, the cleaner your teeth are from home brushing and flossing, the less intrusive the scaling and polishing treatment will need to be. Dentists may also use electric scalers. For the polishing, they will use an electric polisher to leave the teeth as smooth as possible, making it hard for bacteria and plaque to cling to in future.

Scaling and polishing at a Leeds dentist will help to keep your mouth and teeth as clean as possible, limiting the chances of dental decay and a future of unpleasant dental treatment. Make an appointment today to give your teeth a deep clean.

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Leeds dentist uses preventative dentistry to stop gum disease

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Looking after you teeth is one area where it is very true that prevention is better than cure. Although a large number of people are either afraid or ‘too busy’ to visit the dentist, it may turn out to be one of the worst decisions you’ll ever make.

Ignoring the health of your teeth could result in months or even years of discomfort and costly dental treatment. Even those who have a good oral hygiene routine at home, with effective brushing and flossing, might be running the risk of decay and disease. This is because tooth decay and gum disease can often start in the most difficult to reach parts of the mouth. A dentist will be able to thoroughly examine these areas to check for the first signs of any problems.

Taking just a few minutes a day extra to clean your teeth and an hour or so every six months, you and your dentist can construct a plan of preventative dentistry. By focusing on areas that need specific attention, your dentist and dental hygienist will construct a dental health care plan to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. This plan will usually start with a thorough deep clean of the teeth and gums to give you the best possible starting point. It is then up to you to stick to the preventative hygiene plan until your next appointment. By following the plan to the letter, you will be giving yourself the best possible chance of avoiding nasty and costly dental problems in the future.

Your Leeds dentist will be available to help you come up with a preventative dentistry plan at your next appointment. Start to look after you teeth properly and they will look after you for the rest of your life.

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Painless dentistry with Waterlase from City of Leeds dentist

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Waterlase dentistry is a new laser energy tool that also uses a gentle spray of water to help perform a number of dentistry procedures. It therefore does not need the heat, vibration and pressure that is required for a traditional dentist’s drill, making many of the procedures a great deal more comfortable and less painful for the patient. It also means that many treatments require less anaesthetic or even none at all, lessening the impact on the body.

Using Waterlase technology allows you to get in and out of the dentist’s chair faster as it is a lot less likely that you will require an anaesthetic injection prior to surgery. Something that research has shown to be very popular with patients. It also means that dentists can now perform surgery in only one visit when in the past two or more was required.

Lasers have been used for sometime now to aid dental and cosmetic dental treatments. Waterlase’s revolutionary water spray technique adds a new dimension of comfort to the speed, efficiency and accuracy associated with laser treatment. Lasers can be used for treatments such as gum contouring and root canal surgery.

Lasers also mean that treatment is safer as the intense heat produced sterilises the wound as it cuts. It also means there is less blood loss and recovery times are faster. To find out more information about the benefits and applications of painless Waterlase treatments, make an appointment to see a City of Leeds dentist

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Using oral products may worsen bad breath – Ask Central Leeds dentist why

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Bad breath can be a very embarrassing problem, and not just for you but also for those around you. People who suffer from bad breath are also at times unaware because it can be very difficult to tell if you are suffering from the condition. This can often lead to very awkward situations where someone has to tell you your breath smells.

The question is, what to do about treating bad breath? Most people’s first reaction is to reach for the mouthwash or oral spray in an effort to beat the smell but this might be working against you. Most mouthwashes and oral products actually do little more than cover the smell temporarily, and only for a maximum of two hours but as little as ten minutes.

Bad breath is caused by bacteria on the tongue and between the teeth. When this decays it releases bad odours which are then carried out on the breath. Oral products kill some but not all of this bacteria but they can also disrupt the natural production of saliva in the mouth. This means that when the bacteria returns, and it will do quickly, your body’s natural way of defending against bad breath is affected adversely.

Central Leeds dentists advise that the best way to beat bad breath for good is to use improved dental hygiene methods. This includes more effective brushing and flossing, as well as using implement such as tongue scrapers and inter-dental brushes. By sticking to this routine you will limit the opportunity the bacteria has to remain in the mouth and feed on food particles that have not been cleaned away. Visit you dentist to find out more about how to beat bad breath.

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