I recently came across this photo that Demi Moore put on her Twitter page , http://twitpic.com/5pcay
Demi is lying on her dentist’s chair waiting to have her upper right crown to be replaced. Not all celebrities will show their imperfections, but it is great to see that Demi, like all of us as dental problems.
There are ways of replacing missing teeth and we can help fit all budgets and the options are a denture, a bridge or an implant.
Many people suffer from sensitive teeth.
The causes for sensitive teeth can be:
– gum recession
– enamel wear
Gum recession can occur as a result of gum disease, or when brushing too hard.
Enamel wear can be caused by dietary factors, such as too many acidic foods, fizzy drink, health problems like acif reflux or bulimia or by brushing too hard.
Enamel wear and gum recession will then expose the part of the tooth (dentine) that is very sensitive to cold temperatures.
The best way to prevent gum recession and enamel wear are:
– brush gently
– look after your gums
-use an electric toothbrush
– see the hygienist regularly
– watch your diet
– solve any health problems
Tooth sensivitity can be reduced by using sensodyne toothpaste and fluoriguard mouthwash. In some cases a white filling may be necessary to seal the dentine and to protect the nerve.
Flossing involves the use of a thin thread (floss) to clean between teeth. There are various types of floss on the market, from simple floss, to dental tape, to chlorexidine coated dental tape.
Flossing is very important as this action helps remove bacteria and food between teeth, that would not otherwise be removed by toothbrushing or mouthwash. I always tell my patients that brushing will clean the front, the back and the biting surface of teeth, but not in between them. Furthermore mouthwash would not be able to penetrate between teeth if there was food debris. Therefore, flossing is absolutely essential and should be part of everyone’s daily oral hygiene routine.
Therefore, flossing should be done daily and it has to be done correctly in order to be effective.
For more information on the correct technique for flossing, come and see Rebecca for oral hygiene instructions.
The following patient attended our clinic after he suffered trauma to his front tooth. This trauma had caused the tooth to move inwards which affected the smile. After speaking about the options, he wished to straighten his smile by the “six month smiles” programme. Actually this treatment was completed in 5 MONTHS! The patient was fitted a fixed retainer to ensure teeth would not move after removal of the braces.