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Archive for the ‘general dentistry’ Category

Why You Should Check-In for a Check-Up

Monday, October 24th, 2016

shutterstock_51615943Did you know that tooth decay is one of the most common preventable problems around? Both children and adults can fall victim to a cavity, but seeing your dentist every six to nine months can stop those nasty little holes in their tracks. If tooth decay isn’t treated, you might end up having to have root canal treatment or even lose a tooth!

It’s easy to assume that if you don’t have any dental pain, your teeth are A-okay. But there might be tiny problems you can’t see, and these can lead to massive issues later on in life. Many dental problems fall under the radar until it’s too late. Visiting your dentist every six months can make sure these problems stay well away from your mouth.

A typical check-up won’t last longer than 15 minutes. Your dentist will have a good look at your mouth, teeth and gums and ask you about your oral health. They might also offer some pearls about eating habits and damaging habits like smoking and drinking, both of which can take their toll on our choppers. Your dentist might also give you some top brushing tips so you can keep on top of your oral hygiene.

If you need one, your dentist might schedule you in for a follow up appointment for a filling, deep clean or scale and polish.

Going to the dentist might not seem like the most thrilling 15 minutes of your life, but we can’t stress enough how important check-ups are. It helps to spot problems in their early stages and treat issues you didn’t even know you had. When it comes to your mouth, prevention is always better than cure.

What is Dry Socket?

Tuesday, October 18th, 2016

shutterstock_297068462If you’ve had a tooth taken out, you might have experienced an uncomfortable condition called dry socket. This happens in around 5% of tooth extractions, when the bone has been exposed. Dry socket can be very painful, but staying in touch with the dentist that extracted your tooth will reduce your risk of dry socket and make sure you can get it treated if it does strike.

When does dry socket occur?

If you do get dry socket, it’ll probably hit you during the first few days after you’ve had your tooth removed. There’s bound to be a bit of discomfort after having a tooth taken out, but dry socket is especially uncomfortable. Your blood should clot after a tooth extraction, but if it doesn’t, the bone will be exposed and this can make you very sensitive to food, drink and even the air you breathe.

What causes it?

Smoking is a big one for disturbing the post-extraction blood clot, as is drinking through a straw. Blood clotting can also be affected by immunosuppressive drugs and birth control pills. If you take any of these, ask your dentist for advice when discussing your tooth extraction.

How is dry socket treated?

Luckily, dry socket can be dealt with easily by applying special medication to the area and carrying on with your oral hygiene routine. Always follow your dentist’s advice after having a tooth removed.

No More Toothache!

Monday, September 26th, 2016

3534882_blogThere’s nothing worse than a nagging pain in the tooth. If you’re in pain or have suffered on and off for some time, we’re here to help. Our experts will get to the root (pardon the pun!) of the problem so you can bid goodbye to toothache for good.

Why have I got toothache?

Toothache is a very common problem. Sometimes it comes and goes without much drama but in other cases it just won’t budge. It can get so bad that you can’t even eat properly! There are a few main causes for toothache, including obvious ones like dental injuries, or more subtle reasons like dental abscesses, decay or sensitivity, which is often linked to enamel erosion.

When should I see a dentist?

Get to your dentist pronto if:

  • You suddenly experience excrutiating pain
  • You’re in pain on a regular basis
  • You experience heightened sensitivity, weakness in the tooth or bleeding gums
  • You hurt your tooth in an accident

How is toothache treated?

As a short-term fix, you can take over the counter painkillers to soothe pain, but always follow the dosage instructions on the packet. If your pain is really bad or has been bugging you for a while, you should make an appointment with your dentist. Depending on what’s caused the toothache, treatments include:

  • Fillings or crowns
  • Gum disease treatment
  • Hygienist treatments
  • Abscess removal

Your dentist can also give you sound advice about diet and oral hygiene to keep toothache well away.

What To Do If You Knock Your Tooth Out

Tuesday, September 20th, 2016

2143132_blogEven the most careful among us suffer accidents from time to time. Oral injuries can be incredibly painful, and if left untreated can go on to cause further problems – decay, disease and eventually loss of speech function or the ability to eat normally. It goes without saying that damage to teeth must be treated quickly and effectively.

Evulsed teeth

Serious damage can result in a tooth being completed knocked out. This is called evulsion. The first thing to do is to make a dental appointment as soon as possible, preferably immediately. If you can find the tooth that has been evulsed, gently clean it by rinsing it, but do not remove dirt by scrubbing it. When you are cleaning the tooth, hold it by the crown. Never hold the root of the tooth, as this may damage the delicate cells still attached, which are needed to re-implant the tooth. After the tooth has been cleaned, put it in your mouth between the cheek and gum. If the tooth cannot be stored in the patient’s mouth – for example, as would be the case with a small child, store it in some milk. If you are able to see the dentist within half an hour of the damage being done, it is possible that the tooth could be re-implanted, which is why you should endeavour to see the dentist as quickly as possible.

Extruded teeth

When a tooth has suffered slightly less severe damage and merely been knocked out of place, so it is protruding inward or outwards, try to re-position it to normal position using very gentle pressure. Above all, do not force the tooth into position. Attempt to hold the tooth in position with dampened tissue and again, try to see a dentist as soon as possible, ideally within thirty minutes.

Family-Friendly Dentistry

Monday, August 22nd, 2016

318711_blogChildren’s dentistry

Dental care is really important for children and the sooner children are introduced to a dentist, the better. We love having children around and our team is really friendly. Our dentists have experience in caring for little ones and they do their utmost to entertain children, reassure them and answer any questions they have. We know that some kids feel very apprehensive about seeing a dentist and we are able to use different techniques to make sure that children feel comfortable and relaxed.

Regular check-ups are a really effective way of reducing the risk of a child developing gum disease and cavities and they allow dentists to keep tabs on any problems and resolve any issues very early before they start to cause pain and unwanted hassle. As well as routine appointments, we also offer preventative dental treatments to protect the teeth and help keep decay at bay.

Family dentistry

We understand that often, time is a luxury and we offer family appointments to enable you to bring everyone together and save you from having to worry about childcare or finding the time to arrange a number of separate sessions. We aim to promote healthy smiles for all our patients and we recommend six monthly check-ups.

Orthodontics

Orthodontic issues are very common and we tend to spot the signs early on. Often, the best course of action is to intervene when children are still fairly young, at around the age of 12-16 years old, as the results tend to be very pleasing and early treatment prevents children from suffering unnecessarily.

We also offer adult orthodontic treatment and the range of systems is increasing all the time, so we are able to offer discreet, quick and comfortable treatments.

Get Wise About Wisdom Teeth!

Thursday, August 18th, 2016

18625010Many people groan when others mention the words ‘wisdom teeth’, and sometimes they have good reason. For some, the wisdom teeth don’t cause any problems, but occasionally they can be very troublesome and if this is the case, extraction may be recommended.

A bit about wisdom teeth

The wisdom teeth are so-called because they develop in adult life when we are supposed to be wise, but they are also known as the third molars. These are the last teeth to erupt and there are four in total, with one located in each corner of the mouth. In some cases, the wisdom teeth develop without causing any discomfort at all, but often they are painful because there is not enough space for them to grow properly. If this is the case, the teeth can start to grow at an angle and push against the neighbouring teeth. This is known as an impacted tooth.

Why would I need my wisdom tooth extracted?

If your tooth is impacted or it has become decayed, the best course of action may be to remove the tooth. Strictly speaking, you don’t need your wisdom teeth and you will be able to cope just fine without them, so extraction can save you a lot of unnecessary pain.

The procedure

Wisdom tooth extraction is essentially very similar to normal tooth extraction, in that the tooth is loosened in the socket and then pulled out using specially designed dental instruments; however, it is often complicated by the location of the tooth and the angle it is positioned at and in this case, expertise is required. Our highly trained dentists have experience in oral surgery and will do all they can to remove your tooth with the minimum amount of fuss. We can offer sedation for extraction procedures if you are feeling nervous and we are on hand to offer advice after the procedure. It is normal to experience mild pain after extraction and we recommend taking over the counter pain relief.

Why White Fillings?

Tuesday, August 16th, 2016

429735_blogMercury-containing amalgam fillings were originally used to restore the tooth. At City Dental, we encourage you to have these traditional amalgam fillings replaced by white fillings.

White fillings are aesthetically-pleasing

White fillings that are made from dental composite or porcelain mimic natural tooth shade. When smiling, it is not obvious that any fillings are present. In contrast, amalgam fillings, which are made of metals, are noticeable to others.

When comparing white fillings and amalgam ones, white fillings are often pictured as weaker and less durable amalgam fillings. Although metal fillings placed in the back teeth for chewing power are stronger, white composite fillings offer a durable blend to restore tooth function, improve bite and enhance facial expression. Porcelain fillings may be used in the smile zone for a beautiful smile.

Treatment with white fillings

The benefit of having white fillings is that the fillings can be placed and set within minutes, allowing for immediate tooth restoration. Traditional amalgam fillings usually require longer treatment times and recovery as they do not include modern light activation materials and technologies. If you would like more information about our white fillings treatment please contact City Dental in central Leeds.

Dealing with Dental Dilemmas

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016

Types of dental emergency

There are many different types of dental emergency, including:

  • Severe dental pain or toothache
  • Dental fractures
  • Knocked out tooth
  • Severe cut lip
  • Jaw fracture

What to do in a dental emergency

If you have severe tooth pain that is getting worse and not subsiding with over the counter pain relief, contact us and we will try to arrange an appointment for you as quickly as possible. One of the most common causes of serious dental pain is an abscess, which is a fluid-filled sac caused by a build-up of bacteria. You may find it beneficial to rinse your mouth with Corsodyl mouthwash.

If your tooth has been knocked out, try to find it and then rinse it (hold the crown section of the tooth rather than the root) and hold it between your cheek and your gum. If you manage to get to a dentist within half an hour they may be able to re-implant the tooth.

If you have broken or fractured your tooth, call the practice as quickly as possible. If you experience swelling, holding a cold compress against your cheek can help to ease pain and inflammation. At City Dental, we will advise you about treatment options once we know how severe the fracture is.

If you think you may have fractured your jaw, you will need to go to the nearest hospital with an Accident and Emergency department. Your jaw will be X-rayed and then an appropriate course of treatment can be planned.

How to Solve the Problem of Dry Socket

Tuesday, July 26th, 2016

3534882_blogIf you have to have a tooth extracted for whatever reason, there can be unfortunate side effects. A condition called dry socket develops in about five percent of cases of tooth extraction where the bone is exposed and leads to substantial pain.  Being in regular contact with your dentist after extraction will hopefully reduce the risk of the condition occurring and allows it to be treated if it does so.

When would I get dry socket?

If dry socket is to occur, it will do so within the first few days after a tooth extraction.  Having a tooth removed always leads to some pain in the aftermath of the procedure but dry socket will make itself evident with particularly discomfort.  Your blood ought to properly clot in the wake of an extraction but if it doesn’t, the bone left exposed can react sensitively to food, drink and even air.  The clot might fail to form or become dislodged. These are the main causes of dry socket.

How can it be prevented?

You should not smoke in the wake of a tooth extraction as it might disturb the blood clot and you ought to avoid activities such as drinking through a straw.  Taking birth control pills can also compromise the body’s ability to clot, as can immune-suppressive drugs.  Get advice from your Leeds dentist if you are having a tooth extracted and take birth control pills or immune-suppressive drugs.

How is dry socket treated?

Thankfully, dry socket is easily dealt with by applying medication at the site and continuing with your normal routine of dental hygiene. Always follow the advice of your dentist once you have had a tooth extracted.

Advice and Info on Tooth Extraction

Thursday, June 30th, 2016

944335_blogTooth extraction is an often undesirable, but sometimes necessary, treatment. Knowing when you might need an extraction may, in some way, lessen the shock of requiring the treatment. Here is a collection of typical scenarios in which oral surgery could be required.

Repair is not viable

Your tooth may have suffered a fracture so severe, or been the focus of such extensive decay, that extracting the tooth will be far more practical than any attempts to restore it. Sometimes it is other obstacles than the tooth itself that cause the problem. Medical and physical both play a role in how appropriate a surgery is deemed for a patient.

Gum disease

In the later stages of gum disease, your tooth can come loose due to a lack of support from surrounding bone. In these instances, tooth extraction may be required.

Preparing for braces

Believe it or not, you can sometimes have too many teeth. Orthodontic work tries to correct an improper bite or realign a smile for ornamental reasons. If you have too many teeth, there may not be enough room for all of your teeth to align properly! In such instances, extraction is a practical surgery choice.

A note on aftercare

Most extraction surgeries will use an anaesthetic, so avoid chewing anything until the numbness wears off. If you suffer from aches or pains shortly after the surgery, take some over the counter pain killers (like ibuprofen) and apply an ice pack to the source of the pain. A blood clot will develop on the site of the extraction and it is vital that it is left alone while it forms. To help it form, avoid touching it, do not drink through a straw, do not spit forcefully, try not to sneeze too hard and avoid smoking or letting food particles near your tooth’s socket. Avoid exerting yourself in the 24 hours following surgery. After two days, rinse your mouth gently with a salt water solution and continue to do this 2 – 3 times a day for a week. Drink a lot of water and try to keep your head raised in order to control bleeding. For more information on tooth extractions, contact the team at City Dental in Leeds.