NEWS - NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH - Dental Tips - PAGE 2

For those dentists out there who are curious about what is acceptable when fitting your indirect restorations such as crowns, bridges, implant crowns and bridges, inlays and onlays, here are some useful facts on marginal fitting: Quality ratings for marginal fitting:1. Clinically excellent: no gap; smooth transition between margin and tooth; probe does not catch 2. Clinically acceptable: space of 150 µm; slight probe catching 3. Clinically unsatisfactory: space > 150 µm - 250 µm; probe penetrates int… READ MORE

It is that time of year again- back to school. The summer holidays are over and the new school year begins. Oh well, never mind, it will be half term soon! Here are some useful tips on maintaining your child's oral health for the new school year:1. Avoid sugary drinks. Fizzy drinks are especially bad. Did you know that a can of cola contains 4 tablespoons of sugar. Yes, that is correct- tablespoons not teaspoons.2. Avoid snacking on processed snacks such as the weird and wonderful shaped crisps. These can … READ MORE

Our dental tip of the day involves prevention, in particular reversing early decay. Did you know that in many cases dental decay starts from in between the teeth called the interdental area? If left untreated, these lesions will gradually progress and become closer to the nerve leaving you at risk of the dreaded root canal treatment. Our tip is simple - prevention is better than cure. Ensure your oral hygiene is excellent, clean properly in between the teeth using dental floss and brushes. We can also pres… READ MORE

Are you a Juicing Fanatic? Now the festive season has started, some of my patients have told me they are trying a juicing diet to detox after Christmas party excesses, or before the inevitable over-eating starts. People are often surprised to hear the damaging effect juices can have on our teeth. A lot of juices, especially those made with fruit, are full of sugar and highly acidic. This causes a drop in pH in the mouth, which in turn can cause acid erosion which damages tooth enamel and/or decay if susta… READ MORE

Our dental tip of the week involves teeth whitening. Teeth whitening can be achieved without expensive treatments by following these simple steps: 1. Visit the dental hygienist. Stain removal will instantly whiten your teeth and keep your gums healthy.2. Avoid staining foods and drinks. These include coffee, strong tea especially green tea, dark berries, artificial colourings and curries.3. Use an electric toothbrush. High quality electric brushes are far better at removing stain than manual toothbrushes.4… READ MORE

At Progressive Dentistry, we believe that Dental Implants are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. Much like natural teeth, if you care for them well, they will last a lifetime. Keeping your implants clean is crucial for long term success. It is recommended that your hygienist performs a professional, thorough clean at least twice a year, using specific implant friendly instruments and non abrasive polish. Home care is also very important, so here are some tips for day to day cleaning: - Use a r… READ MORE

Our dental tip of the week is related to tooth sensitivity. If you suffer from sensitive teeth due to gum recession, then place a pea sized amount of sensitive toothpaste such as Colgate Pro Relief or Sensodyne on to your finger tip and rub this into the sensitive areas. It is important not to wash or brush away the paste so ensure that this is the last thing you do at night after your usual oral health care regime. If the sensitivity does not ease after a few days, please visit your dentist as soon as po… READ MORE

As of this month, we are starting a series of dental tips which will provide simple information on how to look after your teeth and gums. This week, we go back to basics and emphasise what we should all be doing on a regular basis:1. Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes. We generally advise using a good rechargeable toothbrush which has a two minute indicator. Studies have shown that our perception of two minutes is usually way off, with the average time of brushing of only 27 secon… READ MORE

Do you suffer from a dry mouth or are about to commence a treatment which is known to cause dryness? Or perhaps you wear dentures and find that throughout the day the become increasingly dry and therefore uncomfortable? Here are some tips which could make your mouth more comfortable.* Drink plain water frequently throughout the day and chew on sugarfree gum- preferably citrus flavour.* Suck on sugarfree sweets- the Peppersmith brand is widely available and contains Xylitol which is good for the teeth. Ice/s… READ MORE

You may have noticed the increasing number of adverts for the treatment of tooth sensitivity and tooth erosion. Why is this? The answer is simple; our diets and habits.DIET In general, our diet has become far more acidic over the years. For example, you may be surprised to learn that certain fruits have a very high acid content that can dissolve healthy tooth enamel. Citrus fruits are especially acidic. Fizzy drinks are also very acidic. Did you know that a typical cola drink could dissolve your entire t… READ MORE