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Archive for the ‘dental disorders’ Category

How To Save A Tooth In A Dental Emergency

Monday, August 25th, 2014

1788888_blogIf you’re involved in an accident, you suffer a fall or you’re playing contact sport and you lose a tooth, it may be possible to save the tooth. Losing a tooth can be distressing, especially if it’s a front tooth, which is highly visible when you smile, but if you can see a dentist quickly enough, they may be able to salvage and re-implant the tooth. Here are some tips if your tooth is dislodged and you need urgent dental treatment:

Locate the tooth

If you have a tooth knocked out, try to find it as quickly as possible; time is limited in terms of being able to save the tooth so locate it and then call us as quickly as possible so that we can prepare for your arrival.

Clean the tooth

Clean the tooth as best you can by gently wiping it, taking care to hold the crown part of the tooth and avoid touching the roots.

Place the tooth somewhere safe and moist

Ideally, if you can get hold of one, it’s best to place your tooth in a glass of milk, but if you can’t do this, we recommend placing the tooth inside your mouth and holding it between the inside of your cheek and your gums. This advice is not relevant for children, as there is a choking risk.

Hurry to the dentist

Make your way to the dentist as quickly as possible! Your dentist will then do their best to re-implant the tooth into its socket.

If it is not possible to save the tooth, there’s no need to panic, as we are able to offer some amazing tooth replacement treatments, including dental bridges and dental implants. We strongly recommend taking preventative measures to reduce the risk of losing teeth, including wearing a mouth guard for contact sport and wearing a seatbelt at all times when travelling by car.

We Can Help To Put A Stop To Your Mouth Ulcer Woes

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

3534882_blogMouth ulcers are usually harmless, but they can be very painful. If you have mouth ulcer woes, we are here to help!

About mouth ulcers pain

Mouth ulcers are open sores, small in size, which tend to develop on the inside of the cheeks and lips. In most cases, ulcers form when you’ve caught or cut yourself accidentally when you’ve been chewing food, but they can also occur more frequently when you are stressed or feeling run down. Ulcers can be blue, yellow or grey in colour and they are usually nothing to worry about, although they can be very sore.

What can I do for an ulcer?

If you have an ulcer and it’s troubling you, it is possible to buy over the counter treatment to ease discomfort. If then, you find your ulcer isn’t bothering you, it will usually heal independently and disappear within 7-10 days. If you have an ulcer, which takes a very long time (more than 2 weeks) to heal, we advise arranging to come in for a dental check-up as slow-healing sores can be a symptom of mouth cancer. It’s very unlikely that this is the case, but we always prefer to err on the side of caution.

If you have an ulcer, it’s a good idea to take extra care when you are eating and brushing your teeth. It can be painful if you catch an ulcer and you may find that your ulcer stings if you eat something with a sharp or acidic flavour.

If you have troublesome ulcers, don’t hesitate to ring and book an appointment; we will have you pain-free and fighting fit again in no time!

Suffering From Oral Abscess Agony In the Heart Of Leeds?

Tuesday, August 5th, 2014

4361359_blogDental abscess can be very painful and cause you great discomfort. If you are suffering from the symptoms of oral abscess and haven’t been for a check-up, you should visit City Leeds where we can seek to ease your pain as soon as possible.

Oral abscess symptoms

The symptoms of oral abscess agony involve a throbbing, tender pain which fades and intensifies intermittently. Chewing and talking can intensify the pain and swelling can occur in and around the affected area. Your teeth can also seem weak close to the abscess. It is important to seek treatment for these symptoms as abscesses can be potentially dangerous.

Abscess treatment

It is important to visit your local dentist, rather than your general practice doctor for oral abscess treatment. This is because your doctor has limited options compared to your dentist. Oral abscesses need to be drained and removed, unlike abscesses anywhere else on your body. Call us to arrange a swift appointment. In the meantime it’s advisable to avoid hot food and drink.

Protect against oral abscess

A great oral hygiene routine is the greatest way to avoid the occurrence of oral abscesses. Try to work flossing into your routine if you haven’t already. Use a soft toothbrush to clean with morning and night, whilst avoiding sugary food and drink. Check-ups are also key to maintaining a healthy dental regime.

The Dental Problems Caused By Your Child’s Thumb-Sucking

Monday, July 28th, 2014

398467_blogMany babies suck their thumbs, often as a means of comfort when they are tired or feeling poorly or sleepy. In the early stages, babies can take a lot of reassurance from sucking their thumb, but prolonged thumb-sucking and using bottles and dummies can have serious implications for oral health and the development of the teeth. As dentists, we advise parents to try and discourage thumb-sucking as a baby grows and to try and encourage them to use a cup, rather than a bottle once they reach the age of 12 months old.

What harm does thumb-sucking do?

Thumb sucking can have a negative impact on the development and alignment of the teeth and the front teeth can be particularly badly affected. Children who suck their thumbs are more likely to have misaligned teeth and protruding front teeth, as the action of the thrusting the tongue can cause the teeth to move forward and stick out at an angle.

Thumb sucking can also contribute to speech problems, most commonly the development of a lisp.

How can I stop it?

It can be much more difficult to preventing your children from sucking their thumbs than a dummy because the thumb happens to be attached to them making it harder to simply take it off them; however, there are ways to discourage children. Tips from parents, doctors and dentists include rewarding good behaviour and providing alternatives, distracting children so that they don’t even think about sucking their thumbs and charting their progress on a plan.

A good idea is to avoid nagging all the time, as this can be counter-productive and to encourage children to make it seem like the child is making an independent, grown up choice to stop; focus on the positives and offer constant encouragement. If you have any worries, don’t hesitate to ask for advice.

Is Your Day Blowing Hot And Cold? Get Treatment For Sensitivity

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

3534882_blogTooth sensitivity is a very common problem and with the sun shining and many people looking forward to enjoying ice creams, iced coffees and lollies, it’s the perfect time to get your sensitive teeth sorted. If you suffer pain when you sip on a hot drink, you wince when you bite into an apple or your teeth throb after polishing off a knickerbocker glory, there are things you can do to ease the pain and prevent sensitivity in the future.

What causes sensitivity?

Tooth sensitivity occurs when the enamel becomes thin or worn and the dentin section of the tooth is exposed; this is the part of the tooth, which contains the nerves and blood vessels and this is why you feel pain when your teeth come into contact with something hot or cold. There are various causes of enamel wear, but the most common is acid erosion; this occurs when you eat acidic foods or you eat sugary foods, which prompt bacteria to release plaque acids. These acids gradually wear down the enamel, exposing the dentin and increasing the risk of decay and gum disease.

What can be done for sensitivity?

There are some simple measures you can take to avoid pain associated with sensitivity, including using a straw and cutting up fruit, rather than biting straight into an apple or pear, for example; however, there are longer term solutions available. Sensitive toothpaste is specially designed to protect the tooth enamel, as well as providing relief for tooth pain, and it can really help.

If you have sensitivity, this may be indicative of decay and we advise arranging a check-up with your dentist. If you have a cavity, we can place a filling to reduce the risk of damage to the tooth and prevent the infection from spreading through the tooth.

Dental Disaster Prevention Here In Leeds

Saturday, May 31st, 2014

5538155_blogDental disasters often happen when you least expect it and if you have an accident or you need urgent help, we will do all we can to fix you up and free you from discomfort.

Sometimes, it’s impossible to prevent accidents, but there are often steps you can take to lower your risk of damaging your teeth and gums. Here are some ideas to help prevent those unwanted dental dramas:

Wear a mouth guard

If you’re a sports fan and you like to participate in any activity, which carries a risk of dental injury, we strongly recommend wearing a mouth guard. We provide performance-enhancing custom-made gum shields for players of all ages and abilities. Wearing a gum shield helps to protect the teeth and gums from injuries caused by impact or contact and we advise wearing one for boxing, martial arts, rugby, football, hockey and lacrosse.

Keep up with your check-ups

Seeing your dentist on a regular basis will ensure that your teeth are in good shape. If your teeth are healthy and strong, there is less chance of them getting damaged. We advise 6 monthly check-ups.

Avoid using your teeth for certain jobs

It sounds odd, but many people admit to damaging their teeth because they used them to try and open a bottle or cut something. Try to avoid using your teeth in this way, as there is a real risk of injury and your teeth are not designed to act as an emergency bottle opener!

Wear a seatbelt

Seatbelts are designed to save lives in the event of a collision or crash. They really can make the difference between life and death and they are a very effective means of reducing the risk of dental injuries, as they prevent you falling forwards and hitting your face.

If you do suffer a dental injury, contact us and we will fit you in as soon as we can!

We Soothe Your Dental Sorrows Here In City Centre Leeds

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

4652780_blogDental pain can be really distressing, especially if you are a nervous dental patient. If you’re in pain or you’re worried about going to the dentist, we are here to soothe your worries and allay your fears. Our friendly team promises to do everything it can to make you feel comfortable and to reassure you.

Urgent dental treatment

If you need urgent dental care, call us and we will do our best to see you and relieve any pain you are suffering as quickly as we can. Examples of dental emergencies may include dental abscesses, broken teeth and dislodged teeth; if you have injured your jaw, you will need to go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department.

Sedation for nervous patients

Sedation is a technique we use to help patients to feel more relaxed; it makes you feel calm and prevents you from feeling any pain when you have treatment. If you are having root canal treatment or tooth extraction, for example, and you are very nervous, sedation can help to relax you and ensure that you don’t panic during the procedure. When you are sedate, you remain conscious, but you will feel drowsy and sleepy. After treatment, the effects of medication start to wear off, but you shouldn’t drive, drink alcohol or operate machinery for 24 hours.

Anxious patients

One of the most worrying things about patients who suffer from severe anxiety is that they often avoid going to the dentist until they can no longer tolerate dental pain. We want to make sure that our clients feel relaxed when they have a dental appointment and we can help to ease your fears so that you feel able to come to the clinic for regular check-ups. These checks are so important because they enable us to detect and treat any problems as early as possible and they help to prevent gum disease and decay.

If you feel nervous about seeing a dentist or you haven’t had dental treatment for a long time, call us and we will help you to get the treatment you need with the minimum hassle, pain and stress.

Make Sure Your Abscess Symptoms Are Treated In City Centre Leeds

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

2839654_blogIf you have a dental abscess, you will need urgent dental care and we are on hand to help to free you from pain as quickly as possible.

Symptoms of dental abscesses

Dental abscesses are usually very painful and they tend to cause throbbing pain, which intensifies and then fades, usually becoming worse when you use the tooth or you accidentally catch the surrounding gum tissue when you clean your teeth or chew food. It is also common to experience tenderness and swelling around the abscess and the tooth will often feel weak.

What to do if you have a dental abscess

If you have a dental abscess in the centre of Leeds, it’s important to see a dentist as quickly as you can, so that you can get treatment and pain relief. Dental abscesses should be treated by dentists, rather than your GP, as there is only a limited amount your doctor can do. This is because dental abscesses are not treated like other types of abscess and they need to be removed and drained, rather than treated with antibiotics.

If you think you have an abscess, call the practice and we will arrange an urgent appointment. In the meantime, it may help to take over the counter pain relief and to avoid drinking hot drinks and eating hard or chewy foods.

When you come in for treatment, one of our friendly and experienced dentists will do all they can to alleviate your pain as quickly as possible. The abscess will be removed and the fluid drained and we will give you information about taking painkillers.

Preventing dental abscesses

The best defence against dental abscesses is good oral hygiene, so remember to brush every morning and night for 2 minutes each time and floss on a regular basis. It’s also really important to keep up to date with your dental check-ups.

Troublesome Thumb-Sucking Can Test Your Toddlers Teeth

Monday, May 12th, 2014

398467_blogMany children suck their thumbs as a comfort when they are tired, upset or ill and while it can be very cute, it can also be problematic for the teeth. Thumb-sucking can contribute to orthodontic issues, which may require treatment in the future.

The implications of thumb-sucking

Sucking your thumb is a very common childhood habit, but ideally, you should try to encourage your child to stop at an early age, as sucking the thumb over a prolonged period of time can affect tooth development and cause the front teeth to be pushed forward, which may change the alignment of your child’s lower and upper arches of the teeth and cause problems with speech and the formation of sounds, as well as the look of the smile.

If there are any issues with your child’s bite, which is the term used to describe the way in which both sets of teeth match-up together, the most common course of action to take is orthodontic treatment. The aim of this treatment is to straighten the teeth to improve oral function and speech and make the smile look more attractive. Children who have large buck teeth or protruding front teeth may get teased and this can have long-lasting implications for confidence and self-esteem.

Ways to encourage your child to stop sucking their thumb

It’s often harder to stop your child from sucking their thumb than using a dummy because obviously the thumb is attached and cannot be take away, like a dummy can. Often, it’s a good idea to introduce alternatives, such as a comforter or a teddy bear or to do a deal with your child so that they get the chance to earn rewards if they agree to stop sucking their thumb.

Don’t Be A Fool – Keep Those LS1 Wisdom Teeth In Check

Sunday, May 11th, 2014

863081_blogIf you’re one of those people that instantly feels anxious when the words wisdom and teeth are uttered in the same sentence, we have good news! We have highly trained dentists who can help to alleviate pain caused by troublesome wisdom teeth and enable you to smile again!

The wisdom teeth are the final adult teeth to develop and they usually start to erupt between the ages of 16 and 25 years old, although this can vary wildly. Often, the wisdom teeth pop out with no trouble at all, but sometimes they really make their presence known and they can be very painful.

Why do wisdom teeth cause pain?

In some cases the wisdom teeth can be very painful because there is not enough space in the jaw for them to grow and develop normally. If there is a lack of space in the jaw, the tooth may start to grow towards the neighbouring tooth and push through at an angle and this is referred to as an impacted tooth. Impacted teeth can be painful and it may be the best course of action to remove them. Extraction is often recommended for the wisdom teeth because these teeth are not needed and they can cause more trouble than they are worth; removing troublesome teeth saves you from feeling pain and allows more room for your other teeth.

Wisdom tooth removal

Wisdom tooth removal is often recommended when a patient complains that they are suffering pain as a result of the teeth pushing through. Extraction is fundamentally the same as extracting any other tooth, but it can be a more complex procedure due to the fact that the tooth is located right at the back of the mouth; the angle of the impacted tooth can also be problematic.

We offer local anaesthetic and sedation for wisdom tooth removal to make you feel more comfortable and prevent pain.