Our general dental treatments are designed to prevent and treat dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Both these diseases are very common, but they are largely preventable. Whether you have existing symptoms of decay or are eager to keep cavities at bay for as long as possible, we can help!
About tooth decay
Tooth decay occurs when the protective enamel coating of the tooth becomes weakened, usually as a result of acid wear. Cavities are holes that form in the enamel layer. They are caused by harmful bacteria that combine with food debris to form plaque, a sticky substance that is colourless. When you eat, the bacteria in plaque release acids that gradually destroy the hard enamel. We use treatments to reduce the risk of decay and address signs of decay to make the teeth stronger and healthier.
You can reduce your risk of developing tooth decay by maintaining good oral hygiene at home, visiting your dentist for regular check-ups and eating well. We recommend brushing twice a day, every day, using fluoride toothpaste and monitoring your intake of sugary and acidic foods.
Fillings for tooth decay
The most common treatment for tooth decay is a filling. Fillings help to make the teeth stronger, as well as reducing the risk of infection spreading through the tooth. In the past, fillings were made from mercury amalgam, but now many people prefer to have white fillings, which are made from dental composite. Composite fillings are strong and durable, but they also offer natural aesthetics, as the composite matches the shade of your natural tooth.
Having a filling is nothing to be worried or alarmed about. We will numb the tooth completely before placing the filling so you will not feel any pain at all and the procedure takes less than an hour. We simply clean the cavity and remove all the decayed tissue before pouring in the composite and then setting it using a powerful curing light.
If you’ve read the news this week, you’ll probably have noticed many articles devoted to dental decay and tackling high rates of decay among youngsters. At Clifton Dental Studio, we take dental health very seriously and we are determined to do all we can to ensure our patients have a clean bill of oral health.
Decay is extremely common, but it is preventable and we are committed to ensuring that our patients have the knowledge and tools to keep their teeth healthy and cavity-free.
About tooth decay
Tooth decay is a common dental problem, and it is almost always preventable. It is caused by harmful bacteria, which attack and erode the enamel and create holes known as cavities. Plaque is the main risk factor for tooth decay. Plaque is a colourless film that forms when saliva joins together bits of food and bacteria. When the bacteria feed, they release acids, and these acids weaken the enamel, eventually creating cavities. Once there are cavities in the enamel, there is a risk of infection spreading to the dentin, which contains the nerve tissue and blood vessels.
Dealing with decay
If you have a cavity in your tooth, we will usually fill the tooth, a process that involves placing a filling inside the cavity. Before the filling is placed, the tooth is cleaned and all the decayed tissue is taken away. Fillings make the teeth stronger and more durable and they also help to stem the spread of bacteria through the tooth, reducing the risk of infection.
If decay is left untreated, it can get worse and infection can spread to the living pulp tissue. If this is the case, root canal treatment may be required.
Preventing decay
The best ways to prevent decay are to maintain good oral hygiene at home, to keep up to date with dental visits and to avoid consuming excessive amounts of sugar. It’s also advisable to keep an eye out for hidden sugars in foods and to avoid acidic foods and drinks.
Dental decay may seem nothing at first and if you start to suffer from a toothache, it may only take a filling to keep the tooth healthy, if you do not address it though, you could be setting yourself up for a huge and expensive fall. Decay starts with plaque; film and acids build up on the surfaces of the tooth and then eat their way in. Once they have broken through, the inside can become infected and then you are looking at a root canal in order to save the tooth: decay is also made easier by teeth grinding. The danger here though is you have set a very dangerous ball rolling; you are in danger of an abscess breaking out as well as gum and periodontal disease setting in and this can affect every part of your mouth and body in the long run. The way of preventing this in the beginning is to have a high quality of oral hygiene on the go, as well as putting in regular visits to see your dentist; both of these should be enough to keep decay at bay. For more on all aspects of dental decay and oral hygiene, Clifton Dental of Bristol can supply you with all the information you’ll need on such topics as these in Chepstow.
Throughout your life Chepstow, you will brush your teeth thousands of times and you know what, you only have to turn your back for a couple of days and what do you find, bacteria and plaque still causing havoc- as if taunting you, you’d think they would have given up in the face of you, their enemy, who is constantly smashing away their work with your big old toothbrush. The thing is though, they don’t give up and if the acids from these bad boys are allowed at any time to eat away at the surfaces of your teeth, your teeth will suffer from decay, and you most certainly know about it because you will begin to suffer from excruciating darting pains shooting through your teeth whenever you bite down on them. An x-ray will reveal the extent of your damage: if it’s light, you will need a filling, if it’s bad, you will need a root canal. If however you still manage to turn a blind eye to this, tooth decay can go on to cause a tooth abscess to erupt and gum disease to flourish. In the area, Clifton Dental of Bristol can give you all the details about oral hygiene, the causes of tooth decay and what to do if you suffer from it.
The most important aspects of maintaining excellent dental health are of course how you take care of your teeth. Brushing and flossing are the main components of this and have a major impact in terms of the removal of plaque so that dental decay and gum disease are avoided. But there are other things to be taken into consideration also, such as what your diet consists of.
Plaque is the substance that causes most of the possible problems in mouths. Removal is of course crucial, but it can help if you are avoiding the foods which cause plaque to occur in the first place. The main things to remember are that plaque is produced in the greatest profusion when you eat sugary or starchy food.
To this end, it is best to keep sugary and starchy foods to a minimum. Things like boiled sweets are especially bad in terms of plaque production and the same can be said of sugary soft drinks. What many people don’t know is that things like potato crisps can produce high levels of plaque also. It is always worth considering the physical aspects of the foods that you eat. Crisps for example, tend to stick to the teeth and can easily get lodges in between teeth too. Fruit and fruit juice are high in natural sugar but they do not stick as easily to teeth.
If you want to eat foods like sweets and crisps, keep them to a minimum but also consider giving your teeth a brush and floss afterwards to get rid of the plaque that has formed. Chew some chewing gum if brushing is not possible. Dentists in Swindon have access to a great store of advice when it comes to dental health and dietary considerations.
Having a set of healthy teeth is easily taken for granted but it is crucial in allowing us to do those everyday activities such as eating, drinking and talking without pain and discomfort. Your teeth are under constant threat from an acidic substance known as plaque which is formed when you eat certain foods which contain a lot of sugar or starch. Find out how to ensure that plaque does not cause your teeth to decay.
Teeth decay when plaque begins to erode the protective layer of enamel which coats them. This enamel is a tough substance but it cannot withstand prolonged exposure to embedded plaque and will begin to break down after a certain period. Greater sensitivity is the result as the nerves inside your teeth become exposed. These holes in your enamel will need to be filled up so that the tooth does not break down and become useless.
You can avoid suffering from dental decay in the first place by taking certain preventative steps. Choosing the right foods is crucial in this respect and you should limit the amount of sugary substances you consume. It can be helpful to brush your teeth after eating these types of food so that plaque cannot take hold.
In any case brushing should be done at least twice a day, usually first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Flossing ought to be carried out too because it removes plaque from between the teeth where brushing often cannot reach. Dentists in Bristol are a great source of advice and help if you are worried about the causes and the effects of dental decay.
There are a number of good reasons to visit your dentist every six months for a check up. The fact is that your dentist knows a great deal about teeth and gums and can help you look after your mouth. The main reason to visit him or her is so that any nasty condition which is developing can be spotted, diagnosed and then treated before it gets worse. When it comes to the health of your mouth, most of the conditions which can affect it are not that serious in and of themselves but they need to be dealt with because further down the line, real problems can result.
This is especially true of periodontal disease, commonly just known as gum disease. Gum disease is rife in the United Kingdom and many people simply aren’t aware that they even have it. Greater sensitivity when you eat or drink hot or cold foods, or reddening of the gums, might mean that you have gingivitis, the most basic form of gum disease.
It’s nothing to worry about as long as your dentist diagnoses it early. It can be dealt with by some special formulated mouth washes and in some cases antibiotics are prescribed. Usually it is just a case of refining your oral hygiene routine by brushing more effectively and flossing.
If gingivitis is left to progress it can become periodontitis, which is a very serious proposition indeed. Periodontitis is the reason why one can say that gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss, more so than dental decay itself. It involved the inflammation of the gums spreading to the bones which hold the teeth in place. It’s as painful as it sounds and ought to be avoided by regular visits to your Bath dentist so he or she can keep a close eye on the state of your gums.
Replacing a lost tooth or teeth is vital to secure the long term health of your mouth. Having a gap in your smile can lead to a loss of confidence if you find that you are embarrassed about smiling in social situations. Eating and drinking can become painful and the teeth surrounding the gap might begin to shift. If you have lost a number of teeth your cheeks might sag, making you look older than you are.
Whether you have lost a tooth through an accident, dental decay or gum disease, dental bridges provide the answer. There are three types of dental bridge, the most common being the traditional or fixed variety. Here a false tooth, known as a pontic, is affixed between two crowns which themselves are anchored to neighbouring teeth. This is avery stable method an ideal if you have lost one tooth. In cases where one of your front teeth has been lost a plastic pontic will be used in a process called resin-bonded or Maryland-bonded bridges. This method ensures that your smile looks as natural as possible by concealing the resin. You might need a cantilever bridge if it is decided that the pontic can only be fused to a tooth on one side because your front teeth are liable to experience stress.
To make sure that the bridge and pontic will have enough room your dentist might shave off a little of an existing tooth. Using a mould that has been taken of your mouth, technicians in a specialist lab will fabricate a replacement which will be attached with dental cement. While you wait for this, to keep the area protected, you will wear a temporary bridge.
Contact your Bristol dentist if you have lost a tooth and want to find out more about the dental bridge work which can provide you with a lasting solution.
Plaque is the sticky, filmy substance that coats the teeth and covers them in bacteria and bacterial acid which breaks them down. This causes dental cavities and ultimately dental decay and tooth loss. However, there are a number of ways you can remove plaque before it can do any real damage. It is not only important to remove plaque early to prevent damage but also because if left it will harden into tartar which cannot be removed unless by the expert skill of a dentist.
The easiest way of removing plaque is by brushing and flossing. If this is done regularly (dentists recommend brushing for three minutes twice a day and flossing once a day) then the plaque will have no time to build up and your teeth will stay healthy. Make sure you use an appropriate toothbrush and that when flossing you try and get to the hard to reach places.
Electric toothbrushes make a particularly good plaque remover because of the speed they are able to move at. Ask your Swindon dentist which toothbrush would be most appropriate for your teeth and for instructions on how to floss correctly.
As well as brushing and flossing you can also buy specialist tools for the removal of plaque, although it is always advised that you consult a dentist before using these. It is better if you make sure to have a six-monthly appointment with your dentist who will also be able to refer you to a dental hygienist for any additional plaque removal.
Removing plaque is very important for the health of your teeth. It can stop decay and infection before they even have a chance to take hold and will also help to keep your teeth looking as healthy as possible.
There are many reasons why people need dental extractions. This could be due either to suffering pain from a wisdom tooth or dental decay, the gums may be in bad condition causing the teeth to be loose and sore or simply because there is not enough room for the teeth and they are suffering from overcrowding issues. Whatever the reason, an extraction may be an option but of course, this is quite a serious procedure so your Bath dentist may explore other options before resorting to extractions.
In the case of overcrowding this could be using a brace or other straightening device to align the teeth naturally. In terms of infected teeth, a root canal procedure can save the tooth from extraction if successfully carried out in time, but in some cases, there is just no alternative. Obviously, dentists don’t like to remove natural teeth but in the event they need to, you need to make sure you follow all their instructions for your own safety. This involves keeping teeth clean and healthy in the days and weeks prior to surgery, making sure you avoid smoking and drinking alcohol before and after surgery, and following any other specific advice your dentist may have.
Following the extraction it may be quite painful and you are also at an increased risk of infection. This can result in further health complications so you need to be aware and contact your dentist immediately if you feel anything unusual. If you have had to have an extraction for reasons of dental health such as decay or infection, it is possible to have the tooth replaced with an artificial substitute such as a dental bridge or a dental implant. Ask your dentist about the restorative dental treatments following an extraction.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
Dental decay may seem nothing at first and if you start to suffer from a toothache, it may only take a filling to keep the tooth healthy, if you do not address it though, you could be setting yourself up for a huge and expensive fall. Decay starts with plaque; film and acids build up on the surfaces of the tooth and then eat their way in. Once they have broken through, the inside can become infected and then you are looking at a root canal in order to save the tooth: decay is also made easier by teeth grinding. The danger here though is you have set a very dangerous ball rolling; you are in danger of an abscess breaking out as well as gum and periodontal disease setting in and this can affect every part of your mouth and body in the long run. The way of preventing this in the beginning is to have a high quality of oral hygiene on the go, as well as putting in regular visits to see your dentist; both of these should be enough to keep decay at bay. For more on all aspects of dental decay and oral hygiene, Clifton Dental of Bristol can supply you with all the information you’ll need on such topics as these in Chepstow.
