If you are in any doubt about how to get the best out of oral hygiene, then you’d better nip down to your dentist in central Leeds for a chin-wag, because to be fair, there are so many products on the market right now, what to choose can be awfully confusing. Your dentist knows as much about your mouth as you do, probably more. You should discuss the condition of your gums and teeth and the state of your mouth in general, then armed with this information, you are in a better position to make an informed decision about what products buy and how to use them. Starting with a toothbrush, it’s important to get one that suits the condition of your mouth; they come in all shapes so choose carefully. If you are just rubbish at brushing, lazy if you like, then go electric. Up next is the toothpaste. Again, tailor it to your lifestyle (do you smoke and dine richly?). Then we move into the world of ‘back-up’ products like floss, mouth washes and tiny brushes that are designed to hit areas that normal brushing misses. Of course, once you have mastered this, you should then branch out into products that you can use in a dental emergency that can strike at any time. Herbal products are excellent for this, as are everyday painkillers and of course, a telephone (to call your dentist or hospital with in a real emergency!). Follow the basics and you and your mouth should live happily ever after.
City of Leeds dentists are there as a support to their patients. Yet, by some people, they are only seen as someone who gives you a quick check over, and maybe the odd filling from time to time; a dental check-up is often viewed more as a regimented chore. With all the products on the market right now, there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to care for our teeth ourselves and the prime directive of all that brushing and flossing is to remove the build up of bacteria in the mouth; bacteria can be the main cause of more serious problems like tooth decay and gum disease. For all our best laid plans however, to keep our mouths healthy, some of these problems can break through our defences without us knowing and this is why regular visits to the dentist can eradicate things like this, because we do not quite appreciate how quickly how things can go wrong with our gums and teeth. But other than repair work, we should see our dentist as a confidant and friend. Like going to a doctor, we should be able to talk to our dentist about a range of topics that affect our mouths. From subjects as basic as how to brush our teeth correctly, what products to use, to cosmetic procedures you might be considering having done- your dentist is there to listen. A visit, at least twice a year, should be enough to keep you healthy and wise- ignore it at your peril.
Choosing the right braces comes down to number of factors from age, who you are and where you are. If you are young and still at school, it can be a tempestuous time and so you want to get through it pretty much unscathed and your choice of braces is of the utmost importance. Most now sit discreetly in the mouth, unlike the ‘railway connections at Leeds train station’ looking braces that were once the only option; the ‘Damon’ and ‘the 6 months smile’, colour code their fittings to match your teeth. But for total discretion, feast your eyes on ‘Clear smile’ or ‘Invisalign’, for these are completely transparent- and removable too! These braces also work for adults, though at this stage of life, lengthy treatments may not fit into your equation, although the clear aligners probably would because the offer total discretion- great for work and great at home, and if your have an incredibly important 2 hours to get through, then simply take them out!
Not all of us can afford the latest and greatest cosmetic treatments on offer right now in Leeds, and in the present economical climate, some of us are tightening the purse strings more than ever. For some us, looks are important to us, but if we have problems with our teeth at times like this, it is difficult to justify splashing out on expensive cosmetic dentistry. Well, you don’t have to, because you may be able to get away with a little cosmetic bonding to get you through and it will keep you smiling with confidence. This procedure is cheap, done on the spot and can patch up any discoloration, cracks or gaps in your teeth. Your dentist will start be assessing your problems and then start the treatment by preparing your teeth for the first layer of resin; coloured to match the rest of your teeth, it is then cured with a heat lamp. Over and over again, this procedure is repeated until the dentist has covered up the problems and has enough to work with. At this point the dentist will don a beret, pick up his tools and sculpture a dental work of art into your mouth. All that’s left to do is to polish your teeth and you leave the surgery looking like a touched-up oil painting. Best of all, the treatment is completely pain free- well worth a look if you’re a little strapped for cash.
Largely thanks to our American relations across the sea, we have an incredible range of teeth correction treatments to choose from in central Leeds these days, and if you’re looking for something that’s quick, efficient, and no fuss, then take a look at the ‘6 months smile’. It takes no time to get measured up for this treatment, just some photo’s and x-rays, that are then sent over to the States; from these, your brace is made and then
It’s not often that something comes along for dentists in the city of Leeds that not only gives them a certain amount of chic, cool and kudos, but is spot on for the customers too. Stand up CEREC and take a bow! We live in an extremely ‘want it now’ society and this treatment delivers it ‘now’. When it comes to hiding the age of your teeth (and you with it!), more and more of us, are turning to cosmetic dentistry to save our bacon and turn back the years. Veneers have always been a popular choice as they cover everything up, from gaps and receding gums, to discoloured, worn and cracked teeth. They have also spawned a range of hybrids such as Lumineers- all designed to do the same job. Crowns and bridges also get your mouth in to shape beautifully. Thing is, it normally took about 4 weeks to complete all of these treatments because the parts had to be sent off for from some lab miles away. Not anymore! With CEREC, these parts can be made whilst the dentist is getting you ready for your fitting. You go in, have a couple digital photo’s taken that are fed into a machine, that then manufactures your parts on the spot. 2 hours later, you hit the streets smiling like a film legend. Perfect if you have a pressing engagement scheduled for that day. Best of all, any problems with the fitting can be rectified on the spot and it costs as much as the as the old 4 week long treatments.
One of the problems with correcting a crooked set of teeth is the time involved with the treatment, which has been proven to put people off from even bothering in the first place, especially those who, pardon the pun, are a little long in the tooth? Well those of you in Leeds, who have ‘bucked’ or twisted teeth at the front of the mouth, sit up and take notice, for there’s an aligner available that will blow your mind. It’s called the Inman and it rocks….literally! This sensational little device works painlessly by gently keeping your teeth on the move, because while it applies pressure on the outside with a barely noticeable wire, a spring activated bar reverses the pressures on the inside; it rocks your teeth into place! And this device has an added bonus of being removable. Imagine the freedom that affords when having a meal, socialising for a couple of hours and cleaning your teeth! It’s not an expensive treatment either, considering the engineering that goes into this device and the way it works. After the treatment a retainer will have to be worn for a while, usually whilst you sleep or when you’re alone to prevent the treatment from reversing itself. But if you are still stubbornly unsure about going down this avenue, then maybe this little fact will make you wake up and see the light. The treatment is complete, done and dusted in as little as…..wait for it……6 weeks! The Inman rocks alright!!!
In the days when fluoride first came to light, along with many new treatments around then, they were thrown onto the open market as the new ‘must have’, without proper research done to see if there were any side affects attached. However, on the whole, fluoride has come through, pretty much unscathed. But as good as it’s track record is, it does have some ‘alarming’ qualities too, which is why some dentists in Leeds are turning to less toxic products to treat their patients with, especially children. Kids love to eat toothpaste and swallow more than they should. This can be quite dangerous, as too much fluoride in the bloodstream can discolour teeth and leave unwanted deposits in the brain, which is why many children’s toothpastes are fluoride free. Yet the use of fluoride still notches up wonderful successes in dental treatments. It’s invaluable for promoting minerals and hardening enamel in teeth, and fighting decay by keeping saliva levels up-which is important for killing off acids and bacteria in the mouth and hence keeping plaque and gum disease at bay. All this is possible because all forms of products associated with oral hygiene have some level of fluoride in them. In a modern world, there is enough information at hand to make a logical, informed decision for yourself and of course you have your dentist. But like anything in life, everything done in moderation is going to be fairly harmless in the long run…isn’t it?
Living and working in the city of Leeds can be exciting but at the same time, very stressful, and stress is one of those modern problems that’s easy to overlook- and it throws up side affects that you may not notice at first. One such problem is teeth grinding and it’s an important issue to get under control, for it can cause all manner of problems throughout the upper body. A lot of pressure is put on the joints between the upper and lower jaws, but if this starts to suffer from overload, it can cause damage to the ears, the head neck, and the upper back; teeth grinding can compound the problem so there is a great need to get your stress and behaviour managed. It’s important to identify daytime stresses so that you have a chance to unwind in the evening before you go to sleep, for it’s here that most of the grinding will take place. A dentist can always supply you with a mouth guard, but that will only protect the teeth; the physical grinding will still continue and so will the pressures on the jaws. Before you go to sleep, it’s important to prepare yourself and learn to relax. You should avoid any form of caffeine and opt for herbal teas before bed; baths with essential oils, the burning of herbal oils, reading and ‘chilling out’ to calming music are excellent ways to de-stress. If you have any issues with this problem, it’s important to seek out advice from your dentist.
A lot of people in Leeds live alone these days, that’s not to say that they aren’t happy with the arrangement, but it does make them vulnerable when it comes to problems that occur in the body while they sleep. You may not know if you snore, which is fine, because you don’t have a long term suffering partner that has to deal with it. But irregular sleeping patterns can lead to serious health issues. One of the symptoms is tiredness and extreme fatigue throughout the day, which may indicate the presence of sleep apnea. The heart, lungs and heart monitor each other as you sleep and rely on communication. Break the cycle and the system is in danger of shutting down altogether. Which is why it’s important to keep the airwaves free from blockage, because as soon as the air stops getting to the brain, it panics and sends emergency signals to the heart to pump more blood and air around the body. If any of these elements break down and the breathing stops, so will the heart, which then becomes life threatening. You can cope with irregular breathing when awake, because you are conscious of the problem. When you are asleep however, you are reliant on your heart, brain, lungs that in turn rely on the intake of air into the body. Breathing problems can be addressed by consulting with your dentist who may well prescribe a device to enable you to breathe more freely. This is also important for the flow of saliva in the mouth too, keeping your mouth and teeth in a natural state of flux to aid your breathing.
