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Wake Up To White Filling Wonderland In Leeds

Tuesday, September 16th, 2014

4756357_blogAre you sick of spotting silver fillings in photos or wondering about safer alternatives to mercury fillings? If so, we can offer white fillings to repair and strengthen your teeth with minimal aesthetic impact.

What are white fillings?

White fillings are a modern alternative to mercury amalgam fillings; they are used to fill cavities, small holes, in the teeth. White fillings are made from dental composite, which is designed to match the colour of the tooth. Composite is soft and malleable and it is hardened on exposure to light; this means it can be moulded to fit the cavity perfectly before it is set.

White fillings are becoming increasingly popular because they are much more aesthetically pleasing than silver fillings and they are also safer and better for the environment.

Can I get my mercury fillings replaced?

Yes! We will be happy to replace existing metal fillings with new white fillings, as well as fitting white fillings for the first time.

What are the benefits of a filling?

Fillings are restorations, which are designed to make a tooth stronger when there is a cavity. Cavities are holes, which weaken the structure of the teeth; they are caused by bacteria and once there is a hole in the tooth, there is a risk of infection spreading to other parts of the tooth. The filling strengthens the tooth, but it is also protects it from further infection.

How long do fillings last?

The design and technology behind dental materials is advancing all the time and white fillings are now extremely durable. If the tooth is well looked-after they should last for several years.

Useful Oral Hygiene Tips For City Leeds Patients

Thursday, September 11th, 2014

357249_blogGood oral hygiene makes the world of difference when it comes to oral health and we are always here to offer advice about maintaining a clean and healthy mouth at home. By sticking to a good oral hygiene regime, you will reduce your risk of developing a host of dental problems, including gum disease, dental decay and bad breath.

Oral hygiene tips

Brushing and flossing

Brushing is really important and it only takes 2 minutes of your morning and evening to make a difference. Brushing removes bacteria and food debris from the mouth, which helps to prevent the development of plaque. Plaque is a sticky, colourless substance, which is made from bits of food, saliva and bacteria and it is bad news for oral health. Plaque irritates the gums and increases the risk of cavities. Brushing should take place twice a day, for at least 2 minutes each time. It’s advisable to use fluoride toothpaste to strengthen and protect the enamel.

Flossing is another really simple way of keeping your teeth and gums healthy and you only need to do it once a day. The beauty of flossing is that it takes over where brushing leaves off and it cleans the parts of the mouth that are tricky to cover with a toothbrush. Flossing can take a little getting used to, but it’s well worth persevering, as it helps to keep your teeth looking bright and clean, as well as keeping decay at arm’s length. When you floss, simply pass the dental tape through the cracks between the teeth and avoid pulling.

Seeing a dental hygienist

On top of good oral hygiene at home, we recommend seeing a dental hygienist. Our amazing dental hygienists can help to banish plaque, prevent gum disease and give your teeth a beautiful, white glow.

Don’t Let The Horror Of Halitosis Take You In Its Clutches

Saturday, August 23rd, 2014

2143132_blogDo you feel self-conscious when you stand up to present at work or meet somebody for the first time? Are you conscious that you have bad breath but you don’t know what to do about it? At City Dental Leeds we have experience in treating bad breath and our excellent dentists and dental hygienists will soon have you feeling confident and smelling fresh.

What causes halitosis?

Halitosis is the medical name for bad breath. Most people have experience of bad breath in the morning or after eating particularly strong foods, but if you suffer from odorous breath on a regular basis, there may be an underlying cause. In most cases, bad breath is linked to bacteria collecting in the mouth, which results from poor oral hygiene. If you don’t brush your teeth twice a day and floss, bacteria are allowed to gather and collect in the mouth and reproduce and this causes unpleasant odours, as they release gases when they feed.

Smoking and taking medication can also contribute to bad breath.

How we can help

Bad breath doesn’t need to set you back; with our powerful cleaning treatments and professional advice, we can help you to overcome these problems and enable you to face day to day life with confidence.

The best course of action for bad breath is usually regular hygiene sessions, which are provided by our incredible dental hygienists. Hygienists offer cleaning treatments, which are designed to blitz the mouth and rid bacteria, leaving your mouth feeling lovely and clean and your teeth looking sparkly and smooth.

We can also offer advice about brushing and flossing at home and we are on hand to make recommendations about oral hygiene products.

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!

City Leeds Can Rid You Of That Bogus Breath

Friday, July 18th, 2014

2464492_blogDo you dread work meetings and presentations? Do you feel nervous in social situations? If you do and bad breath is to blame, we can help! We are experts in banishing bad breath for good and we can help you to feel confident, whether you’re aiming for a promotion, sealing a deal or going on a first date.

Bad breath is something, which affects most people at some point. In the majority of cases, people suffer from unpleasant smelling breath in the mornings or after eating or drinking certain foods, but sometimes, people suffer from persistent bad breath and this may indicate that there is an underlying dental cause.

What causes bad breath?

If you have persistent bad breath (known as halitosis), this is almost always the result of bacteria build-up in the mouth. When bacteria collect in the mouth and start to feed, this causes them to release odorous gases, which is why your breath smells unpleasant. Commonly, bad breath is linked to bacteria at the back of the tongue. Bacteria can be removed by regular brushing and flossing; if you neglect your oral hygiene routine, bacteria multiply and the risk of bad breath is much higher.

Bad breath can also be caused by smoking and it can be a side-effect of taking some types of medication.

Treating bad breath

If you suffer from bad breath, you’re not alone and we have treatments and therapies that can help to ensure your breath is fresh and clean smelling. Our oral hygiene treatments provide intensive cleaning to rid the mouth of armful bacteria and plaque, cleanse the tongue and clean and polish the teeth. We recommend regular hygiene sessions coupled with a thorough oral hygiene regime at home.

We also recommend steering clear of food triggers and smoking and chewing a piece of sugar-free gum after eating.

Don’t Forget Your Sonicare Toothbrush

Sunday, July 13th, 2014

4196468_blogA toothbrush is your best weapon against nasty oral illnesses, such as gum disease and decay and it can also help to keep your teeth looking shiny and bright. We recommend Sonicare brushes because they are versatile, functional and proven to remove plaque effectively.

What is so special about Sonicare toothbrushes?

Sonicare brushes offer a range of options and styles to cater for the varying needs of dental patients and they boast innovative features, as well as an excellent reputation for effective cleaning. Studies show that these brushes are clinically proven to reduce the presence of harmful bacteria in the mouth and decrease the risk of plaque formation. Sonicare brushes are also easy to use and control, they offer innovative features, such as smart technology and brushing settings, and they are suitable for patients of all ages.

Brushing tips

Brushing should be an essential part of any daily routine and we cannot stress the importance of brushing twice a day enough. Brushing is your best bet against food debris and harmful bacteria and an extremely powerful means of preventing the development of plaque. Plaque is a sticky colourless substance, which forms when bacteria combine with saliva and food particles; the bacteria in plaque attack and erode the enamel and irritate the gums, causing inflammation and pain.

We recommend brushing for at least 2-3 minutes each time you brush and using fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps to strengthen the outer enamel layer of the teeth. When you brush, try to resist the temptation to scrub, as brushing aggressively does more harm than good because it damages the tooth enamel. It’s best to choose a brush with a small, mobile head, such as the Sonicare brushes, as these are easier to manoeuvre around the mouth. When you are brushing, try to ensure you clean each tooth and angle the head of the brush so that you can clean all the surfaces.

Beat The Bad Breath Bully When You Come To Leeds

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

3062480_blogBad breath can be a really embarrassing problem, but if you have halitosis, this doesn’t mean that you have to hide away and suffer in silence. We can help!

Bad breath is commonly caused by bacteria collecting in the mouth. When you eat, the bacteria in your mouth feed and then release gases, which smell unpleasant and this is why you get bad breath. If you have a good daily oral hygiene routine, these bacteria shouldn’t be able to gather in your mouth and you should find that your breath smells much fresher and cleaner. Ideally, you should brush your teeth twice a day each day for at least 2 minutes each time and floss regularly to keep bad breath at bay.

If you have persistent bad breath, we can offer intensive hygiene treatments, which give the mouth a deep clean and remove bacteria, which may be lurking in areas that you can’t reach with your toothbrush.

Some people find that they have bad breath after eating or drinking foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, spicy meals and garlic. If this sounds familiar, chewing sugar-free gum can help to neutralise acids in your mouth and make your breath smell fresher after eating. Make sure you choose sugar-free gum, as sugary foods increase the risk of decay and gum disease.

Don’t Forget To Floss In City Centre Leeds

Monday, April 28th, 2014

iStock_000000363253XSmallYou often hear dentists talking about the importance of flossing in TV shows, adverts and magazine articles, but why is flossing so important and do you really need to floss every day?

Flossing is important for one main reason: it covers areas that you miss or are unable to reach properly when you are brushing. Brushing removes most of the plaque and bacteria from your teeth, but there are areas that cannot be reached with a brush head, including the cracks between the teeth. With flossing and brushing, you cover a greater surface areas and clean parts of the mouth that are prone to bacteria build-up, reducing the risk of plaque formation and lowering your risk of gum disease and decay.

It’s advisable to try and floss once a day to keep your mouth clean. When you floss, try to be very gentle and avoid pulling at the floss, as this can hurt your gums and cause them to bleed. Run the tape through the cracks between your teeth and along the gum line and use a new piece of floss for each tooth.

If you notice that your gums bleed when you floss and you are used to flossing, arrange to see your dentist. It is normal for the gums to bleed a little the first couple of times you floss, but if you do it on a regular basis and notice bleeding, this could be a sign of gum disease and it’s best to get this looked at.

The rewards of Chewing Gum in Leeds

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

The chewing of gum has always been considered to be a filthy habit to have, probably because of the way people discard it after they have finished with it. It is frowned upon in schools and in certain work places in Leeds-it’s seen as a dirty habit to have. However, the world of dentistry sees the chewing of gum in a completely different light and actively encourages it because it can promote the health of your mouth. Chewing gum can help to build up the muscles that support your jaw-joints and help to protect them from damage, but it is inside your mouth where gum has the best benefits. Your saliva is your body’s natural defence against bacteria in the mouth and chewing gum can help to promote these saliva levels. It can also help to remove bacteria and foodstuffs from the surfaces and in between your teeth after eating, reducing the build up of plaque. As long as you ensure the gum is sugar free, you will be doing your mouth a good service and you will be chewing your way to a high level of good oral health.

Taking on Tooth Decay in Central Leeds

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Every day in central Leeds, your mouth is always under threat from bacteria, bacteria that breeds plaque, gum disease and tooth decay. The only way you have of fighting off these problems is to have a wicked oral hygiene program at home and ensure you trot along to your dentists twice a year for a check-up: this should always be enough to keep to keep these disease from your door. The only flaw in this plan is that you are human and along the way make human mistakes, like enjoying yourself. Nothing wrong with that in the slightest, but you do have to remember that the evils already mentioned are ready to strike as soon as you stop brushing. Constant failure to care for your teeth will soon see acids eating their way through the protective enamel of your teeth and infecting the inside. The first thing you will notice is pain whenever anything comes near the surface of the tooth. At this juncture, you may get lucky if you act fast and get away with a filling from your dentist. If you allow the problem to advance though, you’ll need a root canal to clear away the rotten pulp and roots, and then it will need a crown in order to keep the tooth in your mouth. Either way, tooth decay is not only a constant threat to your oral health, but it will also threaten your bank balance with constant treatment, as once it starts; you and your dentist will have to jolly work to prevent the problem spreading throughout your mouth.