Tag: Routine Dental Care

What To Expect At A Dental Check-Up

Some patients find it difficult to come to the dentist, but by knowing ahead of time what to expect, it can help to calm your nerves.

Arriving At The Practice

When you first arrive at Newby Dental Practice, you will be welcomed by our friendly receptionist team into our relaxing waiting room. You may be asked to fill in a medical form.

During Your Check-Up

Once it’s time for your check up, you’ll be take through to the dental surgery. They will start with a quick chat to answer any questions or concerns you might have. This will allow your dentist to thoroughly check your mouth, whilst keeping a close eye on anything that has been bothering you. You should let your dentist know if you have been experiencing any pain, sensitivity or unusual sensations and they can advise you on any treatment that you might require.

During the check-up, you’ll be asked to lie back comfortably in the chair so that the dentist can begin a thorough check of your teeth, gums and mouth. They are checking for plaque, gum disease, tooth decay and the early signs of mouth cancer. Your dentist may also take an x-ray to check for any underlying problems.

Once the check-up has been completed, your dentist will advise you of any treatment that you might require and let you know when you will need another appointment. Our reception team will then get them booked for you.

If you need to book your next check-up, call us on 01723 670500.

What Are The Most Common Dental Issues And How To Prevent Them? Continued.

Following on from the previous post, here are some more common dental problems that people suffer with and how to treat them.

Cracked Or Broken Teeth

Teeth can crack for many reasons such as:

  • Pressure from grinding your teeth.
  • Large fillings that have weakened the tooth.
  • Chewing or biting hard foods such as ice, nuts, or boiled sweets.
  • Injury.
  • Age.

Treatment depends on the size of the crack, where it is, and your symptoms. Your dentist may recommend one of the following:

  • Bonding: Using a plastic resin to fill the crack.
  • Crown: A dental crown is a cap placed over the damaged tooth.
  • Root canal: When a crack is so large that it extends into your pulp, your dentist may recommend a root canal to remove the damaged pulp. This will help to prevent the tooth from becoming weaker.
  • Extraction: If the tooth, and the nerves below it are so damaged, the only option may be to remove it.
  • No treatment: If the cracked tooth isn’t affecting your appearance and isn’t causing any pain, your dentist may advise leaving it alone.

Receding Gums

Receding gums are a condition in which your gums pull back from your teeth, exposing the root surfaces. They can be caused by a number of factors, including:

  • Aggressive brushing over a long period of time.
  • Build up of hardened plaque.
  • Smoking.
  • Family history of gum disease.
  • Diabetes.
  • HIV.

One of the best ways to prevent receding gums is to visit your dentist regularly. Even if you don’t notice any symptoms, a dentist will be able to see the early signs of gum disease. You can also help to prevent gum problems by practicing good oral hygiene, by brushing twice daily and flossing once a day.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth happens when the salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva. This causes a dry feeling in your mouth. It can also cause bad breath, dry throat and cracked lips.

The causes include:

  • Dehydration: This can be caused by not drinking enough water, vomiting, or sweating. When you’re dehydrated your mouth produces less saliva.
  • Medications: Dry mouth could be a side effect of certain medications, including those that treat anxiety, depression, diarrhoea, high blood pressure and asthma. It is important that you don’t stop taking these medications until you have spoken to your doctor.
  • Radiation therapy: Dry mouth is a common side effect of radiation to the head and neck. Radiation causes damage to the salivary glands causing them to produce less saliva.
  • Stress: When you’re anxious, your body makes more cortisol which changes the composition of your saliva.
  • Snoring and mouth breathing: Breathing through your mouth causes saliva to evaporate.
  • Smoking: Smoking can reduce the production of tobacco.

Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is often stress related. It can be caused by:

  • Stress and anxiety.
  • Sleeping problems like snoring and sleep apnoea.
  • Taking certain medications.
  • Smoking, drinking lots of alcohol and caffeine.

To prevent teeth grinding:

  • Find ways to relax. Try breathing exercises or doing something that you enjoy like listening to music or doing exercise.
  • Try to improve your sleep by developing a routine of going to bed at the same time every night.
  • Have regular dental check-ups.
  • Ask your dentist if they think a nightguard would help.

5 Things Every Parent Should Know About Baby Teeth

As your baby’s first teeth start to appear, it can be very exciting. With so many changes at this age, it can be easy to forget about the importance of their oral hygiene.

1. Start Brushing As Soon As The First Tooth Appears

Decay can begin as soon as your child’s first tooth appears so it is important to implement an oral hygiene routine early on. You should brush their teeth twice a day, and continue to do so until you are confident that they can do it themselves.

2. First Dental Visit

It is important that you take your child to see the dentist when their first tooth appears. Their dentist will be able to advise you on the best oral hygiene routine to follow and to provide any necessary treatment.

3. Baby Teeth Are More Sensitive To Decay

Baby teeth have a thinner layer of enamel, making them more susceptible to decay. A fluoride toothpaste will help to protect their teeth.

4. Be Careful With Dummies

It is common for babies to suck their thumb or use a dummy but prolonged use can change the position of their teeth. This can make it hard for them to chew and speak and can cause adult teeth to be in the wrong position too. Dummies should be removed by the age of three to prevent any oral damage.

5. Baby Teeth Are Just As Important As Adult Teeth

As baby teeth aren’t permanent, many parents don’t understand the importance of their maintenance. Baby teeth affect the development, alignment, and position of their adult teeth as well as their speech and eating abilities.

How To Overcome Your Fear Of The Dentist

Dental anxiety is fear, anxiety or stress associated with a dental setting. Having dental anxiety can cause delayed appointments and avoiding treatment. Attending the dentist is vital to ensure you are checked for mouth cancer, gum disease and dental decay.

A fear of the dentist is very common for patients in the UK. Newby Dental Practice is here to provide tips to help you feel better when attending the dentist.

Signs Of Dental Anxiety

People with dental anxiety may experience:

  • Sweating
  • increased heart rate
  • Dry mouth
  • Stomach pain

What Causes Dental Anxiety?

Dental anxiety can often be attributed to a fear of pain. This often derives from a previous experience that has resulted in pain or hearing ‘horror stories’ from friends and family. However, thanks to the latest developments in technology, appointments for patients are much more comfortable and often painless.

Some patients may be embarrassed by the appearance of their mouth and self conscious about possible mouth odour. This can result in dental anxiety and prevent patients coming to the dentist. Fortunately, our experienced dentists are trained to treat all types of dental health concerns and will be able to help.

How To Ease Dental Anxiety

Ask your dentist to play some music or talk to you about other subjects to take your mind off your treatment. This will give you something else to focus on and help to keep you calm.

Bring support to your appointment. Ask your dentist if you can bring a friend or family member to the appointment as having a familiar face nearby will help to ease your nerves.

Patients who suffer with more severe dental anxiety can be offered forms of sedation to help them relax. Our friendly team are available to give any advice if you are concerned about your visit. Please call us on 01723 670500 or email us at info@newbydental.co.uk

Energy Drinks And Your Teeth

There are many people that believe that energy drinks are not as harmful as sugar-filled fizzy drinks, however, this may not be the case.

Even if the energy drinks that you are consuming are sugar free, they still contain acid. The acid in the drinks causes the pH of the mouth to lower considerably. It takes around 30 minutes for the saliva to neutralise this acid and return the pH back to normal. For those 30 minutes your teeth are essentially being bathed in an acidic environment.

The hyperactive energy produced by the drinks can also cause people to grind their teeth. This can cause tooth breakage and damage.

Energy Drinks And Gums

As the enamel breaks down, it can’t protect the softer parts of the teeth or prevent the bacteria from causing damage. As the enamel wears down, the gums become more susceptible to damage. They can start to recede and expose the tooth roots which can cause the gums to bleed and become inflamed, showing early signs of gum disease.

How Can I Reduce The Damage Caused?

Although it is not recommended to drink energy drinks regularly, if you are going to drink them from time to time, it would be a good idea to try drinking through a straw to minimise your teeth’s exposure.

Another way to reduce the effect would be to rinse your mouth out with water after finishing your drink to try to neutralise the acidity in your mouth.

Try not to sip your drink. The longer it takes you to drink your energy drink, the less time your teeth have to repair themselves from the acid attack.

Alternative Ways To Boost Your Energy

A few simple lifestyle changes could help to boost your energy.

  • Engage in regular physical activity.
  • Drink at least 2 litres of water a day.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep.
  • Include lots of fruit and vegetables in your diet.

Is Vaping Bad For My Oral Health?

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your general health and your dental health, but what about vaping? Vaping is advertised as a healthier option to smoking, but is it actually better for you?

Is Vaping Better Than Smoking?

One of the problems associated with smoking is that it causes gum disease. Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, meaning that the blood supply to the gums is reduced. This makes them more susceptible to infection and gum recession. Smoking also dries out your mouth. Saliva helps to protect your teeth against bacteria so smoking can make you more likely to have gum disease. Smoking also weakens your immune system meaning that diseases, such as gum disease, develop at a faster rate than non-smokers.

Vaping exposes your mouth to nicotine and hot, drying vapour meaning that its puts you at a higher risk of gum disease.

If you have a flavoured vape that contains sugar, it also puts you at a higher risk of developing tooth decay. You’re plaque contains bacteria that breaks down sugar into acid which causes your enamel to become weakened, increasing your chances of cavities.

Vaping and e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular over the last decade, but there is limited research into the effects on your long term health. If you would like to read more about the effects on your oral health, click here to read this article.

The Best Foods For Your Dental Health

Even with a good oral hygiene routine, brushing your teeth twice daily and cleaning in between your teeth, it can be difficult to keep your teeth healthy. Eating a variety of foods rich in nutrients promotes healthy teeth and gums. Read below to find some of the foods that can help to keep your mouth in the best condition.

1. Cheese, Milk and Yoghurt

Dairy foods are high in calcium, helping to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Cheese contains phosphate which helps to balance the pH in the mouth, removing the acidity and protecting the enamel. Milk is also rich in calcium and helps to neutralise the acidity. Yoghurt is full of calcium and probiotics that help to protect you against cavities, gum disease and bad breath.

2. Water

Water is the healthiest drink available. Staying hydrated helps your system distribute healthy nutrients and remove waste. It also helps to wash away food particles and keeps your saliva level high.

3. Leafy Greens

Greens are rich in calcium, folic acid and lots of other vitamins and minerals that are important for your teeth and gums.

4. Nuts

Nuts are full of calcium and phosphates which help to keep your teeth strong and neutralise acids in your mouth. Almonds, brazil nuts and cashews help to fight the bacteria that lead to tooth decay. Peanuts are a good source of calcium and vitamin D.

5. Meats And Fatty Fish

Most meats provide lots of nutrients, and chewing meat also increases saliva production. More saliva helps to decrease the acidity in your mouth and wash away food particles, preventing decay. Fatty fish are full of phosphorus which is important for protecting tooth enamel.

6. Broccoli

Although some people aren’t a fan of broccoli, it’s time to give it a try. It offers vitamin C and K which are important for bone healing and proper blood clotting.

7. Kiwis

Kiwis are another fruit that offer lots of vitamin C, helping to boost immunity. This leads to increased resistance to infections throughout the body, including tooth decay.

8. Whole grains

Although simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, can stick to your teeth and cause decay, this is not the case for whole grains. Whole wheat bread, pasta and rice have complex carbohydrates which are more difficult for the bacteria in your mouth to break down.

Maintaining good dental health, means eating in moderation from all of the food groups. A good diet is not just about the foods that you eat but also when you eat them. Eating too frequently means that your enamel doesn’t have time to repair itself. Try only eating at meal times and not snacking throughout the day.

How to Look After Your Dental Implant

Implants allow you to comfortably enjoy the food you love without any pain or discomfort, whilst also enabling you to feel comfortable with your smile. After the life changing investment, you will need to ensure the durability of your dentures by taking care of them immediately after treatment but also in the long term.

Immediate Aftercare

You should avoid eating or drinking hot items, spicy foods and alcohol. Don’t eat until the local anaesthetic has worn off. Avoid heavy exercise until your body has fully recovered as this will increase the blood flow to your mouth and increase bleeding. Do not smoke until the area has completely healed as this can severely obstruct the healing process. If you wear dentures, don’t attempt to wear them until you dentist tells you to do so as they will apply pressure and affect the success of your implant.

It is normal to experience some bleeding after the implant placement. After the treatment you may be asked by your dentist to bite down on some gauze to apply pressure. If the bleeding still occurs after an hour, repeat with a fresh gauze. This should stop the bleeding but if it does continue please call us.

Make sure that you stay hydrated by drinking lots of fluids and eat soft foods for a few days after surgery. Try to avoid eating on the area and do not eat foods like popcorn or seeded bread as this can become lodged and cause infection.

It is normal to experience some swelling and bruising after the implant has been placed. You may be advised to apply ice packs wrapped in towels onto the side of your face after treatment, but after the first day gentle heat will be more beneficial.

It is vital to maintain a good oral hygiene routine after treatment to ensure that it is successful.

Long Term Implant Care

After healing, you should look after your implants in the same way that you care for your natural teeth. Brush them twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and clean in between using floss or interdental brushes.

If you are interested in having implants placed, speak to our team at 01723 670500 or email us at info@newbydental.co.uk

Everything You Need To Know About Wisdom Teeth

Thousands of years ago, when our jaws were wider and could accommodate our last molars, wisdom teeth allowed us to chew on tougher foods. Overtime we have developed smaller jaws which means there is less room for them to erupt.

When Do Wisdom Teeth Come In?

Wisdom teeth are the last of the permanent teeth to erupt. For most people, they will begin to appear between the ages of 19 and 20.

However, your wisdom teeth start growing between the ages or 7 and 10. The process takes years and is unique:

  • The tooth calcifies
  • The crown begins to form
  • The root develops
  • The teeth emerge through the gums

Signs Of Eruption

It is likely that you will experience some pain and discomfort when your wisdom teeth start to erupt. If you do experience some pain, over the counter painkillers or using warm salt water to rinse your mouth should help.

Some people will have no wisdom teeth at all or they never fully erupt. Some may experience some problems, usually between the ages of 17 and 25, including lingering pain, gum swelling or pressure in back jaw.

Why Might I Need My Wisdom Teeth Removing?

  • For preventative measures, so your mouth isn’t overcrowded, leading to plaque build up, decay or gum disease. Food and bacteria get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth causing build up of plaque.
  • The tooth is unable to break through the gums and has become impacted, leading to increased pain, swelling and infection.

When To See A Dentist

If you are attending your dentist regularly, they will be checking for the progress of your wisdom teeth should they need removal. However, if your wisdom teeth are causing you severe pain you should make an appointment, don’t wait until your next check up. Your dentist will check your teeth and likely take an x-ray to decide whether they need to be removed.

If you are concerned about your wisdom teeth, please call us on 01723 670500 to book an appointment with one of our dentists.

5 Tips For Children Who Are Afraid of The Dentist

Our practice provides a friendly, comfortable environment to help keep all of our patients as calm as possible. However, it can be a scary experience for young children to visit the dentist. Children worry about being separated from their patients and being alone with a dentist that they might not have met before. They also fear certain procedures such as injections and drilling. This is why it is important that your child attends regular dentist appointments from a young age so that they get used to the sounds and smells that make up the dental environment. Here are our tips and tricks to help your child move past their anxieties:

Good Role Models

Children are very perceptive and will listen to what you say about your experience of dental treatments. Make sure that you talk positively about your dentist to ensure that your child feels safe. You could try bringing your child to one of your appointments to show them what the dentist does and try to make it a positive experience so that they look forward to their turn in the dental chair.

Also, whilst at home, make sure that you stress the importance of oral hygiene to your child. Encourage them to watch you whilst you brush and floss your teeth so that they can see a good oral hygiene routine and learn how to do it themselves.

Use Positive Words

When talking to your child about the dentist, make sure you are using positive words. Even if you feel negatively about the dentist, do not project this onto your children as they are very impressionable and may refuse to visit the dentist due to something bad that they have overheard you saying. If you are unsure of how to talk to your children about the dentist, give our team a call on 01723 670500 and they will help to provide any advice they can.

Relax and Distract

Another tip for parents would be to bring along cuddly toys, books, games etc for them to play with. These can act as a distractor and help them to link the dentist with positive things so that in the future they look forward to attending their appointments.

Help Your Dentist Form Common Ground With Your Child

Talk to your dentist about things that your child enjoys, such as hobbies or certain foods that they might appreciate. This will help your child feel more comfortable visiting the dentist as it will help to establish a friendly relationship.

Discuss

Briefly explain to your child what their appointment is likely to entail. Describe the appointment in a way that makes your child excited to attend. However, do not create unrealistic scenarios. For example, telling your child that it ‘won’t be painful’ is a promise that could be easily broken and it may cause you and the dentist to lose your child’s trust.

If you require any extra information, visit the NHS website or give our team a call on 01723 670500.