Category “General”

What can oral surgery from Acton dentists help with?

January 26th, 2012

Oral surgery in Acton can be helpful for a number of dental issues, including tooth extractions, dental implants and corrective jaw surgery, but for a number of people the idea of oral surgery sounds as scary as general surgery. While this can be true for some surgical dental treatments, there are also some that are somewhat less dramatic and invasive.

Tooth extractions

A simple and common form of oral surgery, tooth extraction may be needed for a number of reasons, including trauma and poor dental health, and is quite a straight forward procedure. Unlike some surgeries that require a day or two of recovery in a hospital bed, tooth extractions are short and apart from the alien feeling of a lost tooth and perhaps some aching afterwards, there is no need for recovery time

Dental implants

An increasingly common procedure, dental implants are another fairly simple treatment. The actual treatment time can vary depending on the intensity and number of dental implants needed. The general recovery time also varies and is debated amongst specialists, but can range from 2 to 6 months. The recovery time can also differ from person to person and is affected by the quality and quantity of bone structure in the jaw.

Corrective jaw surgery

Corrective jaw surgery is used for a number of things, including TMJ and other joint issues, as well as helping with trauma, incorrect bite, chewing, grinding of teeth and other problems related to the jaw. The choice to have the surgery will be decided by you, your dentist and a surgeon. Once the go ahead has been decided, the actual surgery should take anything from just one hour to multiple hours. Depending on intensity the recovery time can also vary from around 2 weeks to multiple months, depending on whether lower, upper or both jaws are worked on.

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How to deal with dental emergencies before you visit Brentford dentists

January 19th, 2012

Dental emergencies are never a welcome problem for people in Brentford, but being hit with sudden dental issues that require immediate notice can be a nightmare. It also doesn’t take much searching of the Internet to find horror stories concerning dental emergencies that haven’t been treated quickly, which have gone horribly wrong. Delays with a dental problem are not what you want and with sudden emergencies it could be far more devastating.

While most dental emergencies are rare occurrences, when they do happen immediate action is needed. But this is not always viable. In these circumstances, we may need to find ways of easing the pain ourselves while we wait for a professional. While this is only recommended in extreme circumstances, your first port of call should always be to find an expert dentist and home methods should only be used as a last resort.

Problems such as a lost filling or knocked out tooth can be dealt with to a certain degree at home. Dentists recommend using chewing gum to block any lost fillings as a short-term fix, while putting a lost tooth in a glass of milk is a recommended way of keeping it alive until a dentist can be seen.

Many dental studios have out-of-hours numbers that can be used night or day, and local studios will often set aside a certain amount of time, staff and resources to deal with dental emergencies in their area.

It is also recommended to keep an emergency kit. The last thing you want to be doing is searching for painkillers or swabs. Having a small amount of medical supplies available for any medical problem can really take some of the panic away if you are unlucky enough to suffer a dental emergency.

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What can be done by Ealing dentists to remedy broken teeth?

January 2nd, 2012

Teeth can break because of weak bone structure caused by genetics or ill health, tooth decay, teeth grinding or because of injury. Broken teeth not only cause discomfort and a loss of confidence, but also impact on dental and overall health. When a tooth breaks it should never be left untreated.

Health impacts of broken teeth

Common health impacts of broken teeth may include infection, further loss of teeth and gums, periodontal disease, teeth misalignment, improper bite and jaw irregularities. These dental conditions can cause other illnesses, such as migraines and increased blood pressure, which can then lead to heart disease and strokes.

Seeking medical attention immediately for a broken tooth is crucial to overall health and well-being. In the UK, dentists are available through NHS Choices and private and cosmetic practices in Ealing. A number of treatments exist to fix your broken tooth and improve appearance, which clean and prevent infection, remove discomfort, correct alignment and bite and give you confidence when smiling.

Treatments for broken teeth

Treatment solutions for broken teeth include porcelain crowns, bridges and veneers.

Crowns are moulded out of porcelain to the specifications of your tooth and permanently attach to the surface of your treated broken tooth. Porcelain crowns serve as a replacement tooth, which provides stability to your facial structure and restores your smile.

A dental bridge is formed out of porcelain according to the shape and structure of your teeth and mouth, in order to fill spaces between teeth and act as a replacement for broken or missing teeth. Bridges are designed to correct improper tooth bite and give you a set of healthy-looking teeth.

Cosmetic bonding, usually with composite resin, is used to restore broken, chipped, discoloured and crooked teeth. Porcelain veneers, such as Lumineers or Da Vinci veneers, are a more durable option to treat broken or unsightly stained teeth.

Sparkle Dental Boutique offers all these treatments and can fix your broken tooth or teeth within one visit.

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Hounslow dentists are here to tell you to consider the health of your teeth and gums this Christmas

December 29th, 2011

Boxing Day has always been about relaxing after a long hard day of eating and celebrating, whether this involves just lazing on the sofa watching the Boxing Day film, eating turkey sandwiches or finishing off the last of the sherry and wine.

But many doctors and dentists are now warning of the dangers of over indulging over the Christmas period and Boxing Day in particular. While we all want to relax and unwind over Christmas and New Year, all you have to do is think of some of the food and drink that is regularly eaten over Christmas to realise the effect it could have on oral health. Things such as sugar canes, mince pies, sherry and wine can all have a profound impact on our oral health, causing a build-up of plaque and harmful bacteria, as well as staining teeth.

While doctors and Hounslow dentists advise people to be more aware of the dangers of over indulgence at Christmas, they also know people are sure to eat more than just sprouts – which is why you shouldn’t forget to visit your dentist for a dental cleaning.

There are, however, a number of alternatives that can be eaten and drank over Christmas and New Year. Drinking red wine over white can go a long way to preventing damage, as white wine has been found to be very acidic, wearing away tooth enamel.

As far as indulgent snacks and other foods go, top teeth busters are things such as mince pies, Christmas pudding and trifle. While we all enjoy the odd sweet food during Christmas the ingredients used in these foods can be extremely harmful to your oral health, not to mention the calories causing harm to your waistline!

So this Christmas, just take into consideration how much you are consuming and make sure you maintain a good oral hygiene routine, to rid your teeth of the turkey, mince pies, trifle, sherry, Christmas pudding and selection box treats.

The Sparkle team are here if you need a dental cleaning after all the festivities are over.

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Dentists in Chiswick examine the relationship between alcohol and oral health

December 15th, 2011

With the festive season fast approaching you may be looking forward to indulging in lots of food and drink, but it is worth considering the potential implications of drinking a large amount of alcohol. Most people like a drink now and again and that’s fine, but drinking in excess can contribute to health problems, as well as making you feel miserable, sick and unwell the next day.

How does drinking affect your oral health?

It may seem strange to link alcohol to oral health but there is a lot of media attention concerning mouth cancer at the moment – Mouth Cancer Action Month is a means to highlight the risk of alcohol and how it can lead to oral cancer. If you drink and smoke then you are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer. The number of cases has doubled in the last decade alone and more and more young people are being diagnosed with the disease.

Preventing oral health problems: hygiene therapy

If you are planning to let your hair down this festive season, Chiswick dentists recommend you moderate your alcohol intake and take steps to keep your teeth and gums healthy. A visit to the hygienist may be beneficial, especially if you have indulged in lots of sweet treats. Your hygienist will be able to clean your teeth thoroughly and give them a radiant glow.

Cleaning your teeth twice a day, using mouthwash and dental floss will also help to keep oral health diseases at bay. Hygiene therapy is painless and nothing to be worried about and you will feel the difference immediately.

If drinking a lot of red wine has left your teeth stained, why not arrange to see your hygienist for a deep clean or have treatment like air abrasion? Air abrasion is used to remove heavy staining and involves using compressed air to blow aluminium oxide powder onto the teeth. The treatment will leave your teeth looking bright and feeling smooth.

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Chiswick dentists know all too well that good oral health doesn’t happen by chance

December 8th, 2011

Oral health is really important. It can prevent a range of harmful conditions and also contributes to good overall health. There have been several recent scientific studies that have shown how conditions such as gum disease can lead to serious illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease.

So, in order to enjoy good oral health it is imperative that you follow a few simple rules and make necessary changes to your lifestyle. One of the most important aspects of oral health is diet: having a healthy diet can contribute to healthy teeth and gums, while having a diet high in sugar and fat can bring about serious oral health problems.

Those foods that are high in sugar can cause the protective layer of the teeth to become weakened, which makes the teeth more susceptible to decay. Healthy eating ensures the body gets all the vital nutrients it needs to perform and will also boost the immune system and make the body more robust and resistant to illness and infection.

Obviously, taking care of your teeth and gums will also go a long way to protecting against decay and gum disease. Dentists recommend patients that patients adopt a good oral hygiene routine from an early age and parents are urged to get their children involved in oral hygiene from an early age. This is so they can learn to include teeth cleaning in their daily routine.

A good daily oral hygiene habit should include brushing teeth with toothpaste, flossing and mouthwash. The act of flossing goes a long way to eradicating traces of plaque and bacteria in those hard to reach mouth areas, while mouthwash will rinse away other remaining deposits.

For a thorough dental cleaning visit your dentist in Chiswick for a professional clean and polish – you really will see and feel the difference.

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The safer option of white fillings at your Ealing private dentist

November 28th, 2011

If you have ever had an amalgam filling then you may be aware of the associated problems. Worries concerning mercury poisoning have seen a decline in the number of practices still offering metal fillings and a subsequent rise in composite fillings. Metal fillings can expand and contract, causing the tooth to fracture, leading to further dental problems.

Metal fillings also damage the appearance of a smile, marking the teeth with black patches, visible every time you laugh. A white filling blends in with the natural colour of your teeth and also bonds with the tooth, leaving it stronger than before.

The silver filling will also over time corrode and therefore leak and this can lead to decay developing underneath the filling. Even though the new composite resin fillings cost more than the traditional amalgam fillings, it is worth it because not only is there a reduced risk of anything happening in the future, but it also leaves you with a much more natural smile.

If you currently have a metal filling a simple procedure by your Ealing dentist can replace it with a white filling, ensure better aesthetics and functionality. White fillings do cost a little bit more than amalgam, but the health benefits alone mean it is a much better option.

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Chiswick dentists look at some of the bonfire sweets you should be aware of

November 2nd, 2011

With October over and Christmas on its way, it can be a very bad time of year for your teeth. It is well known that dental problems increase during this half of the year, due to the numerous holidays that often involve sugar in their celebrations. Halloween involves lots and lots of sweets and chocolate and, of course, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without selection boxes, mince pies and Christmas cake.

In between these two holidays is Bonfire night, which also has a sweet tooth of its own. Bonfire night adds a different variety of sugary treats, from treacle toffee lollipops to bonfire toffee cups.

Because Bonfire night treats such as the toffee treacle are extremely sticky and will stay on your teeth longer, they give sugar much more time to cause damage.

Excessive sugar consumption can lead to the erosion of teeth and tooth decay, so it is always advisable to take care with how much sugar you eat. Tooth erosion is caused by sugary foods creating plaque, which then lead to the erosion of the tooth enamel and eventually tooth decay. A visit to your Chiswick dentist is also advisable for some dental cleaning treatment.

A dental cleaning at your dentist is more in-depth than the one you commonly carry out at home on a daily basis. It is able to dislodge more bacteria and it is recommended that you attend your dentist to have this carried out on a regular basis. With those bonfire night sweeties on the horizon, this is more important than ever.

So remember to keep on top of your dental hygiene over this period, maintaining brushing and flossing within your daily regime.

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Vampire teeth for a scary Halloween in Chiswick

October 31st, 2011

Halloween has always been about two things in Chiswick: binging on sweets and dressing up as your favourite monster or bad guy. Iconic vampire characters such as Dracula and Nosferatu have always been exceptionally popular and today’s teen vampire movies mean the undead trend will continue.

We all know that no vampire outfit is complete without the compulsory long cloak, slicked back hair, pale skin and, most of all, a set of scary vampire fangs. While most people are happy to wear a set of fake gnashers for the night, others have turned to the rather extreme method of vampire dental implants!

While this form of dental surgery will may make your Halloween come alive it might seem like a bad idea after the 31st of October has come and gone.

Despite this, the procedure, which converts the canine teeth into a more ‘vampiric’ form, may be more common than you think.

Whether you want to be the new Edward on the block or just want a missing tooth replaced, a dental implant can produce permanent and life-like results. The implant is placed into the gum and jawbone to create a root for a new false tooth. After the area has healed the patient will be fitted with a brand new tooth, which looks and feels like a natural tooth.

However, if you do opt for the vampire fang attachment, this natural tooth may look like it belongs to Dracula, rather than yourself. We recommend you stick with something more natural-looking!

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Your Acton dentist looks at alternatives to sugar-filled sweets this Halloween

October 27th, 2011

We all know sweets and sugary snacks can cause cavities and tooth decay and most parents usually make the effort to ration their child’s intake of sugar to protect them from this damage. However, as Halloween approaches many parents will find it hard to put a stop to the sugar binge when the trick or treating begins on the 31st of October.

Many Acton dentists are urging the use of alternatives to the usual sugar filled chocolates and candies, in order to help prevent the development of dental damage on Halloween night.

Obvious alternatives may be to hand out fruit such as apples, bananas or oranges, but apart from instantly making you unpopular with the local kids, it is not advised because the food will not normally come pre-packaged.

One alternative may be to use toys and other such treats, as an unorthodox alternative to bags upon bags of sweets. Small simple toys are popular with most kids and picking up packs of cheap Silly Bands, glow stick bracelets, stickers or bubbles can be just as much a hit with the kids and make the dental health nightmare that is Halloween just a little less nightmarish!

If you still feel committed to delivering a Halloween involving sweets, then you may consider organic or health snacks. Certified organic products contain natural sugar, which – while it can still be  damaging – does less harm when compared to mass-produced traditional sweets. Things such as home-made juice, ice-lollies and farm yard ice cream are also often much less damaging to teeth than their supermarket counterparts and are just as delicious.

So this Halloween take charge of your child’s Halloween and make sure they don’t need to fix their Acton dentist for dental decay or missing teeth.

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