Month: November 2023

5 Things Every Person With Dentures Needs To Know

We are told from a young age how important our oral hygiene is to keep our mouth and teeth healthy. However, even if looked after to the best standard, there is a high chance that you will need dentures at some point in your life. To be able to experience the benefits of your dentures, you need to understand how to care for them.

Dental Hygiene Is Still Crucial

Even though your dentures are not natural teeth, they still need cleaning frequently to keep them looking good and to keep the rest of your mouth healthy. To clean your dentures you should soak and brush them using a soft bristled toothbrush and non abrasive denture cleaner. Soak them overnight. Dentures get stained easily if not cleaned properly.

It Takes Time To Get Used To Them

When you put your dentures on, you are placing something artificial in your mouth so it is normal for this to feel strange. It could also result in the development of some mouth sores. However, your dentist will tell you how to minimise the initial discomfort and avoid sores. After a short while, your dentures will start to feel natural in your mouth.

Dentures Should Be Removed When Possible

Whenever you do not need to wear your dentures, you should remove them. Extended wear can place pressure on the gum, which could lead to a receding gum condition. If in place too long, they can also cause bad breath. Taking them out will allow your gums to relax.

Practice Makes Perfect

The reasons for wearing dentures are to allow you to eat and talk naturally. However, this may take a while to get used to.

Dentures Require Maintenance

Once you get used to your dentures, you will almost forget that they are there. However, because they are subject to so much wear, they need regular maintenance and there may be times that they need repairing. If they do need repairing, make sure you take them back to your dentist who will ensure that they are repaired correctly.

Your dentures will give you the confidence to smile and go about your day to day life as if you had your natural teeth, as long as you care for them correctly. If you have any issues with your dentures, please call us on 01723 670500 and one of our dentists will do everything they can to help.

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Dental anxiety can create a huge barrier when trying to access routine dental care. A visit to the dentist for some people can be extremely difficult. This is where sedation dentistry could work for you.

Types Of Sedation

There are two types of sedation available, intravenous sedation and inhalation sedation.

Intravenous sedation is administered by the dentist through your vein. IV sedation provides several benefits:

  • It starts working quickly, and you feel minimal to no pain during the procedure.
  • The dentist can monitor your vitals and easily adjust the the dosage.
  • It creates a long period of amnesia so you won’t remember the procedure at all when you wake up.
  • It allows you to cooperate for a more extended period so more than one procedure can be performed in one appointment.

Inhalation sedation involves breathing in nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. The gas helps you to relax and your dentist can control the amount of sedation you receive. The gas tends to wear off quickly.

Who Can Have Sedation?

Sedation is most appropriate for people who suffer with moderate to severe dental anxiety. It may also be appropriate for people who:

  • Have a low pain threshold.
  • Can’t sit still in the dentist’s chair.
  • Have very sensitive teeth.
  • Have a bad gag reflex.
  • Need a large amount of dental work completed.

What Your Dental Symptom Could Mean

Toothache

Toothaches usually indicate a cavity but they can also be a sign of gum disease. In some cases, toothache could also be a sign of an abscess or impacted tooth. If the pain is significant, you should visit your dentist so that they can examine it and sort a treatment plan.

Sensitive Teeth

If your teeth are painful when you drink hot or cold drinks, you might have sensitive teeth. This could be the result of tooth decay, fractured teeth, worn fillings, gum disease, worn tooth enamel or an exposed tooth root caused by gum recession. If you are concerned about the sensitivity, please contact your dentist who will be able to give you some advice.

Bleeding Or Sore Gums

Bleeding gums could be a sign of gingivitis, which is an early sign of gum disease. Or it could simply be a sign that you are brushing too hard or starting a new flossing routine. If your gums are continually bleeding, visit your dentist.

Mouth Sores

Mouth sores vary in their severity and causes. They could be caused by a disease or a disorder, infection from bacteria, viruses or fungus, or irritation from appliances such as braces or dentures.

Bad Breath

Bad breath can be caused by what you eat, not cleaning your mouth, dry mouth, smoking or other medical conditions. Persistent bad breath could be a sign of gum disease. To help reduce bad breath and prevent gum disease, make sure you are maintaining your oral hygiene routine, brushing twice a day and flossing daily. It is also important that you are brushing your tongue as it can hold onto food debris, causing bad breath. If you are concerned about what is causing your bad breath, you should visit your dentist.

Jaw Pain

Many things can cause jaw pain so it can be difficult to diagnose and find the cause. Possible causes include sinus problems, toothache, arthritis, teeth grinding, gingivitis or injury. Your dentist will conduct a thorough exam which may include x-rays to determine the source of the pain.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth could be the symptom of a medical disorder or a side effect to certain medications. Saliva helps to prevent tooth decay as it washes away food and other debris and neutralises acids. Your dentist will help to diagnose the source of the problem and recommend ways to solve the issue.

Cracked Or Broken Teeth

A cracked or broken tooth can happen for a variety of reasons including brittle teeth, teeth grinding or injury. The crack may not be visible to the naked eye but if left untreated it can lead to more problems such as tooth decay. If you experience pain when chewing, you should see your dentist.

Stained Or Discoloured Teeth

Overtime, as you age, your teeth can become stained and change colour. This can be emphasised by certain foods such as tea and coffee. It can also be caused by a variety of other reasons such as smoking, aging, genetics, injury or certain medications. Whitening treatments could work for you but you should discuss this with your dentist first.

If you have any concerns about your oral health, please call us on 01723 670500 to book an appointment and a dentist will try to diagnose your problem.

What To Do Following A Tooth Extraction

Immediately after you have had a tooth removed, you should take it easy for the rest of the day. Do as little exercise as possible and keep your head up to avoid any bleeding.

What Precautions Should I Take?

Avoid hot foods and drinks until the anaesthetic wears off. This is because when you are under anaesthesia you will not be able to feel if you are burning your mouth and this could result in serious injury. Also, be careful not to chew your cheek.

Should I Rinse My Mouth Out?

Do not rinse the area for the first 24 hours. It is vital that the socket heals, and you must be careful not to damage the blood clot that is forming. This means that you should try to eat on the other side of your mouth and try not to let your tongue disturb it. If it is disturbed, it can allow infection into the socket which will affect the healing process.

Are There Any Foods Or Drinks I Should Avoid?

Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours as this can encourage bleeding which would delay the healing process. Eat and drink lukewarm food as normal but try to avoid eating on that side of your mouth.

When Should I Brush?

It is vital that your mouth is kept clean after an extraction to prevent infection. However, be careful around the extraction site as the clot could become dislodged.

What Should I Do If It Bleeds?

It is important to remember that there is likely to be some bleeding for the first day or so. However, if you do notice bleeding, do not rinse out, instead apply pressure to the socket. Bite down on folded piece of clean material, such as a handkerchief for at least 15 minutes. If the bleeding hasn’t stopped after an hour or two, contact your dentist.

How Long Until I Can I Have A Cigarette?

It is important that you don’t do anything that can raise your blood pressure, as this can cause further bleeding. It is recommended that you avoid smoking for as long as possible after an extraction, but this should be for at least the rest of the day after your extraction.

What Should I Do To Help My Mouth Heal?

Different people will heal at different rates. You should keep your mouth and the extraction site as clean as possible, free of debris and food. Don’t rinse for the first 24 hours as this can delay the healing process. After this time, use a salt water mouthwash, which will help to heal the socket. Add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water and gently rinse around the socket twice a day.

What Should I Do If I Am In Pain?

There will usually be some pain in the area for the first few days, and normally some simple pain relief is enough to ease the discomfort. Do not take aspirin as this will make your mouth bleed.

If you are still in pain, it could be due to an infection that has entered the socket. This is called a dry socket. If this is the case it is important to see your dentist, who may place a dressing and prescribe some antibiotics.

If, after reading this post, you still have an unanswered question, please call us on 01723 670500 for advice.

Mouth Cancer Action Month

Mouth Cancer Action Month is a charity campaign to help raise awareness for oral cancer. The campaign takes place throughout November and thousands of people help to raise awareness in their community.

The number of people being diagnosed with mouth cancer is on the rise so it is important that you know how to spot it early and what to do if you notice something unusual. This will help us learn more about cancer so we have a better chance of beating it.

Although there are many risk factors related to the disease, mouth cancer can affect anyone, which is why it is so important that we know what to look out for.

How Can You Take Part?

This November, we need your support. There are lots of ways you can take part:

  • Knowing how to spot mouth cancer early and regularly checking for unusual changes in the mouth.
  • Understanding what is likely to cause mouth cancer and reducing your risk.
  • Acting quickly when you see something out of the ordinary by visiting your dentist.

Fundraising

Fundraising is a great way to raise awareness whilst raising funds. These donations help the Oral Health Foundation continue their important work in learning more about oral cancer and how we can beat it.

For more information about the campaign, visit the Oral Health Foundation website and for more information about oral cancer, please click here to read our blog.