A root canal is exactly what it sounds like. Inside the tooth is the pulp chamber, which contains all the nerves and blood vessels, and the canal extends from here down through the root of the tooth to the tip. However it is when this area becomes infected, usually causing a painful abscess at the tip, that treatment becomes necessary.

If the blood or nerve supply is infected then this could ultimately lead to the tooth dying. When this happens it will have to come out and nobody wants that, which is why you need to act quickly. This happens as a result of any trauma or infection to the nerve, which can be caused by tooth decay that gets through the enamel and dentine all the way to the pulp, from an abscess that has been left untreated, or from a trauma such as a chipped tooth that has left the nerve exposed.

As always, this procedure begins with an appointment, in which your dentist will go through the procedure with you and advise you on how many visits it will require and any antibiotics you might need to take beforehand. This will depend on how bad the abscess itself is as the infection will still need to be dealt with on top of the procedure.

First of all your dentist will need to apply anaesthetic because the procedure would be painful without it. Root canal treatment is infamous for being painful but if your dentist applies the anaesthetic correctly then you won’t feel a thing. After this they may need to take an x-ray of the affected tooth to refer to during the procedure.

When it is time to get to work a dental dam will be put in your mouth to isolate your tooth and stop saliva getting to it because it will need to be kept dry during the procedure. The dam also stops any chemicals used from going into the rest of your mouth so there is no risk of swallowing them.

Next small hole will be drilled through the infected tooth all the way through to the pulp chamber and through this your dentist will be able to remove the infected tissue from inside the tooth. The entire nerve will need to be removed to avoid causing another infection, otherwise the whole procedure would be pointless as the tooth would need to be removed. Because of the precision required this will be the longest part of the procedure.

Once this stage is complete you will be left with a cleaned-out but empty tooth which needs to be filled in. if necessary the tooth is dried and then the inside of the tooth is filled in with a sealing rubber material. Any decay left over is removed and then a filling is used t cap it all off. This may be a temporary one to close the tooth but in some cases you can go straight to the permanent one.

Since the tooth is effectively dead it may become brittle and vulnerable to cracking over time so you may need to have a crown applied to protect it Apart from that your root canal will be complete. Now make sure you look after your teeth and don’t let it happen again!

We are committed to continuing dental education, keeping abreast of the changes in modern dentistry and encouraging preventive techniques – helping you understand how to maintain the health of your mouth and keep it free of tooth decay and gum disease.

Causes

Cavities

Cavities are of course holes in the teeth caused by the bacteria in your mouth. They are very common but should be fixed as soon as you notice them. Everything you eat gives these bacteria plenty of fuel to convert into acid, sugar and starch being particularly harmful. These acids combine with the bacteria and your own saliva to create plaque, a sticky substance that adheres to your teeth. Brushing removes it but if you leave it to run wild then it will gradually dissolve the enamel surface and the resulting hole is a cavity. This can lead to further complications if left untreated.

Chips and Fractures

Chips can be very simple and superficial damage, often not even posing any real risk to your oral health. Chips can be caused by grinding teeth, biting hard objects and any other trauma you happen to suffer.

You might escape with a chip if you’re lucky but you may suffer a more serious fracture, cracking the outer enamel as well as the softer dentine underneath, which will require attention. In particularly serious cases the pulp may be exposed, which is extremely painful and leaves your tooth susceptible to infection and abscesses.

Solutions

Cavities

There are various ways a cavity can be treated:

• Fillings – This is not the most pleasant of procedures, but then they rarely are. First of all the affected area must be removed, usually with a drill, before being filled in with metal. Sometimes porcelain or resin is used on front teeth as it provides a closer match for the natural tooth colour.
• Crowns – More extensive tooth decay may require a crown, especially if the overall structure of the tooth has been weakened. In this case the whole weakened area is removed and repaired, and the affected area is covered with a crown. This crown will protect the tooth and hold it together.
• Root Canals – In more extreme cases the nerve inside the tooth will die and the inside of the tooth, nerves, pulp and all, will need to be removed. The empty tooth is then filled with a sealing material and covered with a crown.

Chips and Fractures

Chips may not require any treatment, although they may irritate the mouth if they rub, but filling material can be used to correct them if need be.

Deeper cracks can lead to similar complications to cavities since the damage leads to the same kind of exposure that needs to be dealt with. Minor cracks should rarely cause any worry, although your dentist may need to polish the area to smooth out the cracks.

However larger cracks will need to be treated accordingly. Your dentist will be able to assess the damage and decide whether you need a filling, crown, or a dreaded root canal.

One issue is that you may not notice the damage at first until it has led to a more advanced infection, which is why a regular check-up is so important. Your teeth may feel fine but it is always worth getting your dentist to confirm this for you. Otherwise a hidden problem may go unnoticed until it is too late.

5 – 8 months

Of course when we’re born all we have are our gums and it isn’t until five to eight months of age that the first milk teeth begin to push through. These are noticeably smaller than adult teeth due to the size of a baby’s jaw and the first to emerge will be the incisors. These are the front, flat edged teeth used for biting and there are eight in all, four on the top and four on the bottom.

16 – 23 months

Next come the canines, which are the more pointed teeth. There are four in total and they bookend the incisors. The final eight teeth follow and should all be developed by the age of two years, give or take a few months. These teeth are molars which we need for chewing and they have large uneven surfaces.

6 – 12 years

However these milk teeth are only temporary and will be replaced by a new set of adult teeth, which begin to emerge around the age of six. During this time, the milk teeth will begin to loosen and fall out, although you will rarely lose more than one or two at a time. It takes a few years for all of the old teeth to finally come out.

This is generally painless but due to children’s propensity to play with things and generally not leave well alone (am I speaking for everyone or just me?) you may end up twisting the loose teeth, getting them stuck the wrong way round, or pulling them out slightly too early with a sickening crunching sound.

Adult teeth, or permanent teeth, are larger than milk teeth but by this time the jaw bone is developed enough to handle them. Again the first of these teeth to come through are the incisors and once more, there are eight of them. They are followed by four permanent canines.

Permanent molars are slightly different, mainly in that there are more of them. First of all there are eight premolars that erupt first. But they are followed by no less than three sets of further molars as we get older.

The first permanent molars should come through by age eight and there are four in total. They are followed later on by age twelve by a further four second permanent molars.

By age twelve the mouth is almost fully developed with a set of 28 permanent teeth. But of course, adults have 32 teeth altogether so where are the final four?

Teens

The final four are of course the wisdom teeth, although they won’t come through straight away. During our teenage years we may find our teeth are not growing straight and when this happens we need braces to correct them.

In our later teens, our wisdom teeth usually begin to erupt, although some people don’t get them at all and in many cases they occur later on well into our twenties. Wisdom teeth are literally a pain and a lot of people do not have the room to accommodate them in their mouth, that is if they even grow straight. Sometimes they grow at weird angles, push into our other teeth and generally cause a lot of pain. In short, wisdom teeth are a nightmare at the best of times and at the worst of times, if they become impacted for example, they must be removed.

Adults

Now our teeth are fully developed so we can sit back and relax. However, our body may have finished its job but we certainly haven’t. Don’t be fooled by the word “permanent” as it doesn’t mean these teeth last forever, it means they are the only ones we get so don’t neglect them! A daily routine of oral hygiene must be maintained or we may suffer irreversible damage and if we lose these teeth then the only other option is an artificial replacement.

Of course time does take its toll and even the most well looked-after teeth will succumb to extended wear and tear. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, although you will get a lot more out of your teeth if you look after them properly. People with good diets and oral hygiene have held onto their original adult teeth for entire lifetimes and you can too.

50+

If you still have all your original teeth by now then well done! However even a healthy mouth is more vulnerable when you are older. Gums are more likely to recede, especially if you have been unfortunate to have this happen at a younger age, and you are more at risk of gum disease, especially if you drink or smoke. But all this means is that you need to stay vigilant and make sure you brush and floss carefully every day. You may be long in the tooth but it can still be a healthy tooth.

However if you do lose any teeth along the way, there are alternatives such as dentures or dental implants.

The practice pride itself on the prevention of dental problems. It gives sound advice and professional appraisal of dental and oral health.

The team at the practice says:

We want you to feel relaxed and secure when visiting us. We’ll treat you with respect and concern for your well being. We’ll advise treatment options in your best interest. We’ll do our best to make treatment as comfortable as possible. You can bring your own music with you and a blanket or cushion to make you feel more comfortable. You can have some lip balm and dark glasses. If you need any anaesthetic injection we can use a topical cream to numb your gum. Alternatively, you can be sedated if you let us know in advance.

The Staff

At Aston Clinton Dental Clinic we provide professional, preventative care. We feel it is important to provide the best possible treatment in a safe and clean environment. Our staff are fully trained with all the right qualifications. They are friendly, accommodating and happy to help. They keep up to date with Continuing Professional Development as stipulated by the General Dental Council.

Your child’s first teeth will start to appear at around five months and in some cases this causes no problems whatsoever but more often than not there will be noticeable symptoms.

• Restlessness, sleep loss, or irritability.
• Sore or tender gums.
• Flushed cheeks.
• Loss of appetite.
• Slight temperature rise.
• Drooling.
• An urge to bite or chew pretty much anything.

It is interesting to note that there is some debate as to whether all these symptoms are related to teething, or if they are naturally occurring in their own right and coincide with the development of your child’s teeth. Of course, things like drooling and biting are bound to be linked to teething, after all chewing is a good way to sooth erupting teeth. But if certain symptoms, such as loss of appetite or higher temperatures, are proving to be a problem then it is best to consult a doctor just to be safe.

In the meantime, there are ways you can help relieve these symptoms if your child is feeling discomfort.

•  Since your child will want to chew things, it is best to buy specially designed teething rings for them. Chewing these helps soothe the pain and also promotes tooth growth through the gums. Some can even be chilled to help relieve pain.
• Alternatively you can cool a wet cloth in the freezer and let it chew on that, but either way the gums should not be exposed to cold for too long.
• If the child is old enough for solid foods then a cold snack may be just the thing for it.
• Teething gels are also available, which are similar to mouth ulcer gels, and should be applied to the affected area with a clean finger. Other painkillers are available but whatever you want to use, always seek a doctor’s approval first.
• Drooling may cause a rash on your child’s face so try to wipe it away with a clean cloth before it does any damage, otherwise you may need to apply a child-friendly skin cream to relieve it.

You did everything you could, you brushed and  every day, you kept a close eye on how much sugar you were eating, or maybe you didn’t but who am I to judge? Whatever the reason, sometimes there is no alternative but to have that troublesome tooth removed.

But how is it done? There are two ways, which are of course the DIY way, and the right way.

The DIY way is fairly straightforward! You don’t want to do it, it’s painful and stupid and may very well do more harm than good. No dentist will recommend it but if you visit them then they will do things properly and have that painful thing out of your mouth in no time.

So, assuming you have taken the intelligent route and decided to leave it all in the safe hands of a professional, how do they extract teeth?

The extraction procedure is simple, but one that requires the care and precision of a professional. DO NOT try it, you will regret it! Besides the first step is one that you almost certainly won’t be able to do accurately on your own. Before anything is extracted from anywhere the dentist will need to know all about your dental and medical history, so if you have any medical conditions or take medication, now is the time to mention it.

A full oral examination will also take place to make sure the tooth is removed correctly according to the structure of your mouth, so as not to cause any damage to the rest of the teeth.

Once that is all out of the way it is time to administer the anaesthetic. If you are undergoing the procedure in a dental practise you will most likely be given a local anaesthetic to numb the immediate area of the extraction. However in some cases it is necessary to have the procedure carried out in hospital, in which case it is more likely that you will be given a general anaesthetic.

Now for the fun part! Using forceps your dentist will gradually widen the socket housing your tooth to loosen it. After that it is a simple case of gripping the root and moving the tooth side to side until it is ready to come out. This may feel unusual but with the anaesthetic it should not cause any pain.

It is important that no part of the tooth is left behind as this can cause an infection or an abscess, which is why it needs to gradually be eased out, rather than quickly pulling it out in one go.

That is the simple extraction, but in more complicated cases you may need a surgical extraction, such as when a hard-to-reach tooth needs to come out. The procedure is still fairly simple but it will often require cutting of the gum or even some drilling of the bone.

The procedure is now complete and you are a tooth down, so make sure you look after the remaining ones because as painless as the procedure is, you really don’t want to go through it too many times!

Whatever your reason, if you do lose a tooth or two… or twenty, you will be advised to replace them either with dentures or implants.

If you went for the former option then there are a few things you should know, because there is a little more to denture care than popping them in and out when you feel like using them. Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of yours:

• Be careful – dentures are fragile so handle them with care and whatever you do, don’t drop them! If you own a set, you’ll know all too well that they don’t come cheap. One precaution you can take is to wash them over a full sink of water just in case you do drop them. Any other time you need to handle them, try to do it over a soft surface in case you do drop them.
• Clean them as if they are real – just because they’re not real teeth doesn’t mean that plaque won’t build on them. After all, bacteria in your mouth can’t tell the difference. If there’s a warm moist cavity for them to breed in, they’ll take it. Fortunately this process is made easier by the fact that you can take them out so it is much easier to wash them thoroughly. Make sure all food particles are removed.
• Use denture paste and a soft brush – ordinary toothpaste is not so great for your dentures so be sure to buy the proper stuff. Denture cleaning paste is specially made for them and should be applied either with a denture brush, or at the very least a soft toothbrush. Hard bristles will damage them, as will scrubbing them too hard so be gentle.
• Rinse them well – denture paste is not edible and you don’t really want it in your mouth so once you have finished cleaning them, make sure they are completely rinsed properly.
• Soak them overnight – the moment you wake up, you want your teeth nice and fresh to pop in for the day ahead and the way to do this is to soak them overnight in an approved denture cleanser. This will keep them clean overnight and will also prevent them from drying out and warping.
• Wash your mouth out – just because you don’t have teeth doesn’t mean your mouth itself doesn’t need cleaning. Your mouth is still an ideal breeding ground for bacteria so it is important to brush your gums and tongue daily, with a soft brush of course. This should be done before putting your dentures in and again after taking them out.

Follow these tips and make a routine of it. Treat your dentures like real teeth and in return they will act like real teeth, giving you a smile that will fool anyone!

The practice is led by one of the country’s leading implant surgeons, Dr Philip Pettemerides, who is supported by a highly trained team of dentists, hygienists and specialists. This has allowed the practice to become  one of the few practices in the United Kingdom to offer a ‘One Stop Shop’ in all aspects of dentistry.

It has a specialist in endodontics, Gillian Boswell, and a specialist in Orthodontics, Helen Knight. Scott Wetton, who has a special interest in Periodontics – gum treatment, also offers facial rejuvenation treatments within the Practice.  Sally Davies not only excels at aesthetic dentistry but also has special interest in treating children and nervous patients.

In addition to being recognised as one of the South West’s leading practices is has also been awarded, by the British Dental Association, Good Practice accreditation for its work around patient care.

As testament to the practice’s skill it receives referrals from other dental practices in the UK and as far afield as the Falkland Isles!

Testimonials:

“Just a little note to thank you so much for your patience and attention to detail whilst giving me a ‘new smile’. It has been very much appreciated!“ From M (Bath)

“Thank you very much for sorting out our various accidents. Tim came out on Monday saying “I really enjoyed that” that is a real achievement on your part“ From A and T (Bath)

“What an amazing job you have made of my teeth! Truly this was a painless experience, executed by a master of his trade. I am indebted to you for such excellent results and a great new look.’Thank you’ Something tells me that Bath won’t be big enough to hold you!! Real talent and honest endeavours always shine“ L (Bath)

Causes

Mouth ulcers are annoyingly common and cannot simply be blamed on an infection. They may point to an infection in some cases but generally, anyone can get them anytime no matter how healthy they are. The exact cause of common recurrent ulcers is difficult to pinpoint but there are contributing factors that increase the likelihood of getting one:

• • Stress or anxiety can encourage the eruption of ulcers.
• • Oral trauma, such as biting the inside of your mouth by accident will usually result in an ulcer as the area heals.
• • Hormonal changes can also trigger them and it is not unusual for some women to develop ulcers during their period.
• • Smoking can irritate the mouth and cause them, while a temporary reaction to quitting smoking is an increased chance of ulcers. It’s better not to smoke in the first place.
• • A deficiency in vitamin B12 will affect production of red blood cells, making you tired, short of breath and ulcer ridden. An iron deficiency will have a similar effect.
• • Crohn’s disease causes inflammation of the gut, leading to a generous offering of ulcers both in the mouth and the stomach.

Treatment

So now we’ve had a chance to get to know our ulcer and realise just how much pain a tiny sore can cause, how do we get rid of the horrible thing? Well the good news is, they heal naturally. The bad news is, this takes time. But the other good news is that there are methods to at least relieve the pain while we wait.

In some cases it just takes a little care to avoid any further pain. Careful brushing will of course be required as bristles on an ulcer will prove to be very painful and make you snap your toothbrush in anger. Hard foods should also be avoided if they are likely to come into contact with it. If stress is the cause then adopting a less stressful lifestyle is advisable. If this is not possible then learning a few relaxation techniques can go a long way. If smiling hurts then you will just need to go around looking miserable for a while, although if you have an ulcer you won’t have to try very hard with this one.

If the ulcer is particularly bad then medication is available to reduce the pain. Some mouthwashes are specially medicated to treat ulcers, although you should check that you are not allergic to any of the active ingredients first, as it may prove to be more hassle than it is worth. A good alternative is to rinse your mouth with warm, salty water. It stings a little but in that good way that makes you feel like you’re helping it.

A good alternative are medicated gels that can be applied to the affected area. It may feel a bit strange in your mouth and, while harmless, you don’t really want to swallow it. Once you get the hang of applying it though you will find it numbs the area and provides some much needed relief. It will also protect the ulcer, allowing it to heal without further irritation.

Of course, these treatments are for relief rather than actual healing and at the end of the day, you will have to rely on good, old fashioned patience.

This is a procedure that will require at least two appointments and I’ll be honest with you, the first one is not fun. While it isn’t painful as such, it isn’t comfortable either. But the fact is, to make room for your new teeth, part of the old ones need to be removed. Of course, you will be offered a local anaesthetic. Between 0.3 to 0.5 millimetres will be taken off to accommodate the veneer and while it isn’t painful, the vibrations are unpleasant and I have yet to meet someone who likes the screeching noise of drill on teeth.

After this stage your teeth won’t look that different but they will feel a bit strange and the surface will be a bit rougher. An impression of your teeth in their new state will then be taken so that your veneers can be created exactly to fit. This impression is made by biting down on a tray of dental wax, creating a perfect imprint. This will then be used as a mould to make a cast of your teeth. You may be given temporary veneers to wear until your next visit but this is optional as your teeth will still work just fine. You will however need to be careful with brushing as the surface is thinner and more susceptible to damage and staining.

Your next visit will be when the veneers are ready. You will get the chance to try them out before they are properly applied to make sure they fit properly and look right. So smile! Once you are both satisfied, your dentist will take them off, and prepare your teeth. First they need to be cleaned, than an acidic etch is applied. Don’t let the name scare you, it only roughens the teeth on a microscopic level. Dental cement is applied to the back of the veneers and then they are placed on. A curing light may be used to encourage the cement to harden, then it is simply a case of removing any excess and making sure you can bite properly.

The origins of dentistry cannot be pinpointed specifically but recent evidence has been uncovered in Pakistan, in the form teeth with finely drilled holes in them. They date back to 7000 BC, showing that we were resourceful when it came to fighting “tooth worms”, which were widely believed to be the cause of tooth decay. This belief seemed to live on right up until 1300 BC, as referred to by surgeon Guy de Chauliac.

However, during this period leading up to the Middle Ages, it seems we were fairly advanced in this field, even if we still had some way to go before understanding how dental care actually worked. The earliest known dental surgeon was Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe who died in 2600 BC. Highly renowned in his time, his methods would have included drilling and herbal remedies. These treatments were probably limited in their use but would go on to evolve into the procedures and toothpaste we know today. Such techniques were practised and refined over time, and early evidence shows that tooth extraction and the wiring of loose teeth were also put into practise.

Hippocrates and Aristotle also included dentistry in their body of work, making references to the pattern teeth follow as they erupt, gum disease, extraction and various other practical methods. Following that in 100 BC a notable Roman medical writer called Celsus wrote extensively on oral hygiene with some rather forward-thinking ideas. Around this time another method of teeth-cleaning was out into practise that was surprisingly advanced, so much so that some cultures still use it today. Known as a chewstick, it was a twig of fibrous wood, the end of which would be chewed to separate the fibres to create a kind of brush that could be used to scrub teeth clean. Sound familiar? And as it turns out, certain species of tree do indeed have antimicrobial properties to help kill bacteria.

So we were already well on our way by the middle ages but dental care was still a long way from what we have now. In fact, dentistry was still not recognised as a profession in itself and was usually carried out by multi-tasking barbers, whose tools would double as surgical instruments. Of course, this wwas how poor people were treated but the wealthier had the privilege of these talented barbers visiting the at home to pull their teeth out. Extractions were carried out with forceps and later a “dental key” which was modelled on a doorkey and just as practical when it came to safely removing teeth. It sort of worked, in the sense that there was less of the tooth left in the mouth after using it. Drilling continued to be the preferred method of removing plaque while gold fillings were also used.

Research continued throughout the Renaissance in the hope of discovering less barbaric ways to remove teeth and maintain good oral health. Teeth cleaning remained rather basic and they were usually wiped clean with sponge, although toothpicks were also put into use.

Attitudes to dentistry took a huge step forwards in the 18^th century, although at first it was seen as a lesser field of medicine, but the next hundred years would see some significant changes. One of the most notable figures of this time, and in fact the whole history of dentistry, was Pierre Fauchard, also modestly known as the Father of Modern Dentistry. He earned this reputation following the publication of his book in 1723, A Treatise on Teeth, which was the first to comprehensively describe dental anatomy and the techniques required to restore and maintain them. Added to this was the boundary-pushing claim that sugar could lead to tooth decay. Nothing like it had been published before and people started to sit up and take notice.

Dentistry wasn’t just for the quacks anymore, it was finally seen as a rather important field of medicine in its own right that should be dealt with professionally. Of course, as professional practitioners began to pop-up, so too did bills and only the wealthy could afford real help with their ailments. The rest of us had to make do with the blacksmith at the village market. But for those with money, they had a wide range of cutting-edge treatments available to them, including ivory teeth, because there were a lot more elephants at the time.

By the 19^th century dentistry was a fully-formed professional field, although one without rules and regulations, which meant malpractise was painfully common. But whereas the previous century had seen a vast improvement in the quality and safety of dental procedures, this one saw another the discovery of something else that millions of people would be eternally grateful for. The man responsible was Dr. Horace Wells, a dentist in Connecticut who hit on the idea cheering his patients up with nitrous oxide since it made people laugh so much. When it turned out that this laughing gas also numbed pain, anaesthesia was born and the world stopped screaming. Well, it carried on screaming but with laughter instead of anguish. This technique would be modified over time and become a standard procedure as part of dental surgery. Less reluctance to have teeth pulled led to a much higher demand for dentures, so the ivory had to go. Fortunately an alternative material was found, making mass production possible.

The 20^th century was full of technological advances, making dentistry even more efficient and safe. By now the toothbrush had been developed and perfected, although it took a long time to get there, but that’s another story. We now had a much better understanding of disease and prevention and the use of a toothbrush was heavily encouraged everywhere, from schools to the army. The latter half of the century saw the world’s dental health improve greatly and hygiene became a part of everyday life. Toothpaste was also perfected and advances in other fields were utilised to apply to dentistry, such as the invention of the x-ray, which could also be used to look at teeth.

Even today, further research into dental health is being carried out. We have a better understanding of the human body than ever before and dental health is better than ever.

Surely a cheap toothbrush from the supermarket will do the job or they wouldn’t be allowed to sell it? Well that can be true but the fact is, some are better than others and since it is highly recommended that you change toothbrushes every three months, this is a choice you will have to make several times a year.

So what do you need in a toothbrush? Here are the factors to look out for:

Comfort

Brushing your teeth is an activity you should be doing at least twice a day so you need to make sure your toothbrush is one you can comfortably use. The general rule here is, if it hurts, change it, otherwise you may be damaging your mouth which can cause complications over time. You also need to be able to grip it comfortably so keep an eye on the shape.

Size

You won’t get very far if the toothbrush is the wrong size for your mouth. A good brush should fit easily between the teeth and be able to get to all those hard to reach places. A larger head will cover more area but if in doubt you should always go for a smaller head for more accuracy.

Bristles

Softer bristles are safer for use in the mouth. Your gums and the inside of your cheeks can only take so much abuse so you don’t want to rub anything to abrasive on them. Added to this, there is always the risk of harder bristles damaging the enamel on your teeth. Medium bristles are also acceptable if you use them carefully as they allow you to put more pressure on the tooth for more intensive cleaning. Look at the shape of the bristles too, as rounded ones can reach more easily between teeth.

Recommendation

If you’re really stuck as to what toothbrush you should use then you can always get one recommended. A lot of good toothbrushes will carry the British Dental Association’s seal of approval on the packaging so you can keep an eye out for that. Alternatively you can ask your dentist what brand they would recommend. Either way, if a professional says it’s ok then you’ve found your toothbrush.

Manual or Electric?

Electric toothbrushes are in fact a highly effective and efficient method of brushing your teeth. Their small heads vibrate in such a way that is just perfect for both removing plaque and giving your teeth a safe but thorough scrub. You can do just as good a job with a manual toothbrush so don’t worry if you can’t afford an electric one but it certainly makes the job quicker and easier.

5: Gum Disease

One of the main causes of tooth loss, gum disease is an annoyingly easy problem to be afflicted with. It is often brought on by plaque that has been left to mature and make the mouth its own. When it is left to its own devices it can affect both the teeth and gums, corroding them and leading to infection. The longer the plaque is left the more harmful it can be.

Your gums will become red, tender and swollen when infected but fortunately it can be reversed in its early stages if you act quickly. And why wouldn’t you? Make sure you’re brushing and flossing correctly, get a shiny, new toothbrush, make sure you’re using an effective toothpaste and, of course, see your dentist for help. Otherwise it can develop into something much more serious.

4: Tooth Decay

Tooth decay happens when plaque is allowed to build up on teeth. If it gets a chance to combine with the sugars and starch we eat it can create acids which have a corrosive effect on our tooth enamel. Brushing and flossing is a surefire way to avoid this happening but it is important to take special care that there is nothing left behind. After all it is easy for food to get lodged between the teeth and if they go unnoticed it provides a nice little bacterial breeding ground that will turn into a plaque hotspot if left untreated. So brush carefully, floss thoroughly and try to cut down on sugary foods where possible.

3: Sensitive Teeth

Some people are just unlucky enough to have naturally sensitive teeth. This means that when they come into contact with particularly hot or cold food, drink, or even a cold blast of wind in some cases, they may experience pain or discomfort. However many people experience sensitive teeth at some point in their lives. One cause is gum recession as this can leave more sensitive areas of the tooth exposed when they would normally be protected by the gums. If sensitive teeth are unusual for you then it is best to get your teeth checked. You may need to change your cleaning technique and, if the recession is caused by debris lodged between the teeth, learn to floss properly.

2: Mouth Ulcers

These are usually harmless but they’re a real pain and can make eating, and even speaking, a painful or uncomfortable experience. More often than not an ulcer is caused by damage to the mouth. For example if you accidentally bite the inside of your cheek, and will present itself in the form of a small, round sore. Stress can also contribute to their formation. Ulcers generally go away on their own after a week or two, but you can always try medication to relieve the pain in the meantime. If you suffer from recurring ulcers however, there may be an underlying condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

1: Bad Breath

Everyone has experienced bad breath at least once in their life and if they say otherwise, they’re lying! Of course, some cases are more severe than others. It’s only natural to wake up with bad breath in the morning as the ever-present bacteria in your mouth have had a chance to multiply uninterrupted. But this is nothing a brush and floss can’t fix. A good way to remove bacteria from the tongue is to eat something rough, such as toast, to scrape it away. This is a convenient solution as it coincides with breakfast time. However, if your bad breath is a bit more persistent there may be a more serious cause that needs to be determined.

One such cause is cavities, which make a perfect bacterial breeding ground and are more difficult to clean effectively. However, the smell could also point to gum disease or even oral cancer in more extreme cases, so if you can’t get rid of it and the cause isn’t immediately obvious then it’s time to visit your dentist.

Edgar Buildings Dental Care is situated in a restored Georgian House in the centre of Bath. Within, the Practice is very much 21st Century, incorporating the latest equipment and techniques.

The Practice is led by one of the countries leading implant surgeons, Dr Philip Pettemerides, who is supported by a highly trained team of dentists, hygienists and specialists. This has allowed the practice to become  one of the few practices in the United Kingdom to offer a ‘One Stop Shop’ in all aspects of dentistry.

It has a specialist in endodontics, Gillian Boswell, and a specialist in Orthodontics, Helen Knight. Scott Wetton, who has a special interest in Periodontics – gum treatment. Scott also offers facial rejuvenation treatments within the Practice.

In addition to be recognised as one of the South Wests leading practices is has also been recognised by the British Dental Association accreditation with the Good Practice scheme.

As testament to the practice’s skill it receives referrals from other dental practices in the UK and as far afield as the Falkland Isles!  Check out more information here

Sometimes people neglect their teeth to the point that brushing and flossing will no longer do the trick.

Your mouth is full of all kinds of little crevices that you may not even be aware of and these are primarily located around the teeth. A warm, moist crevice is an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria and may not only go unnoticed, but even the best brushing regime can miss these little crevices, allowing the bacteria to breed and weaken your teeth, while you remain blissfully ignorant.

When you look in the mirror, have you ever noticed a build-up on the back of your teeth along the gum line? This is tartar, or calculus, a rock hard mineral deposit caused by plaque. No amount of brushing will shift it and if left untreated it can cause further dental problems.

Fortunately the dentist can sort this out for you and the procedure is completely painless, if a little uncomfortable for some. Others however have been said to enjoy it. Once you are seated comfortably your dentist will start the cleaning process with a periodontal scaler, an instrument used for carefully scraping away tartar and plaque above the gum line.

If there is a particularly large accumulation of tartar on the teeth, then the use of an ultrasonic instrument may be required. This instrument vibrates in such a way that helps break up and dislodge large pieces of plaque without causing any damage to the tooth itself. It also sprays a fine mist of water, which washes away any debris and keeps the area cool. This can be where it becomes uncomfortable for some as the mouth can fill with both water from the instrument as well as excess saliva, and holding your mouth wide open during the whole process is not much fun either.

Fortunately there will usually be an assistant present to help keep the mouth clear. The vibrations may also cause some discomfort to your teeth, and will seem louder to you than they really are as they are happening inside your own mouth. But this is all harmless and will be over before you know it. If the vibrations feel a bit too strong you can always ask the dentist to adjust the instrument.

Once this minor ordeal is over it is time to rinse your mouth out with that mysterious drink waiting on the side. As you spit you may notice your saliva is a strange colour, due to the tartar mixed in it but a few rinses will take care of that.

Once the tartar is removed you are free to go with a freshly cleaned mouth and after that it is up to you to take care of your teeth. But tartar is a fairly common problem that builds up over time, even if you do brush and floss carefully, so don’t feel too bad if you get it again, as it can easily be solved by another visit.

Dentures

Dentures are prosthetics made to resemble teeth and gums, and are to be worn where teeth are missing. They can come in full sets or be specially made to replace individual teeth. It can take several appointments over a few weeks, in which your dentist will take an impression of the structure of your jaw and teeth, create trial moulds, and finally produce the final prosthetic.

Dentures will help with chewing, as opposed to gumming your food, however it will be slightly impaired in comparison with real teeth. Dentures are designed to fit comfortably in the mouth but they can move when eating or speaking, especially the lower set which lacks the suction the upper set has against the roof of your mouth.

Added to this, the human mouth is not designed for holding things in it that aren’t food. The natural reaction when an object is placed in the mouth is salivation so for the first 12 to 24 hours you will have to put up with excess saliva in the mouth until your body adapts to the dentures.

However, once you become accustomed to dentures you will find that they are helpful and reasonably affordable. When teeth are missing your speech can become impaired as teeth are required for making certain sounds, which dentures can assist you with.

It is important to take special care of your teeth though, as plaque can build up under dentures so regular cleaning of both your teeth and the prosthetic itself is a particular necessity.

Replacements may also be necessary as you get older as the shape of your jaw can change over time, rendering your current dentures obsolete.

Implants

Implants are more expensive and take much longer to be fitted but will generally offer better results in the long run. A lot of time and care is required during the procedure as it involves creating an implant that will fit perfectly, allowing a synthetic tooth to fixed onto existing bone. This can take up to eight months as there really is no room for errors.

Dental implants are considered better than dentures for the following reasons:

• Implants fit firmly into the bone and have screws to hold the crown in place, making them incredibly stable.
• Chewing is much easier with implants than dentures.
• Implants are made from titanium, a material compatible with the human body that actually encourages bone growth to hold it in, whereas dentures put unhealthy pressure on the bone.

However they do have their disadvantages too:

• Implants are considerably more expensive than dentures. The benefits are plain to see but not everyone can stretch their budget that far.
• Implants can take the best part of a year to put in, especially since it takes some time for them to integrate once the procedure is complete.
• Some people grind their teeth. This is bad for real teeth as just as bad for implants.
• Not all bones are in a healthy enough condition for implants and bone grafting may be required to continue. This of course can add to costs.
• The procedure is more complex and requires anaesthesia, which could put some people off.

Needless to say, dentures are the easier, cheaper option, but are limited in how useful they are as a dental substitute. They can be uncomfortable and cumbersome for some but if you feel you can adapt to them and would prefer to save your money then they may be the better choice for you.

However, if you have the time and money to spare then implants can offer you a much more realistic, practical and lower-maintenance alternative that, with the correct care, can last you the rest of your life.

Flossing and brushing go hand in hand as one cleans the area that the other can’t. We all know that bacteria thrive in the moist, warm conditions your mouth offers, and they do this all day every day.

It’s a fact of life and we can never stop it completely. But regular cleansing will at least prevent the bacteria causing any problems. When you brush properly it does a great job of removing the bacteria and other debris, but no matter how well you brush it can never remove everything. At best, brushing will clean around 65% of the mouth but the job just can’t be completed without flossing.

You see, brushing only scratches the surface (not literally, that wouldn’t do any good at all) but the tiny spaces between your teeth will remain neglected. If the bacteria are allowed to breed here, and they will with a vengeance, you will find yourself with a more difficult problem to solve than plaque, which can still be brushed away in the early stages of its development. Tartar, or calculus, is a hardened form of plaque that can build up when the minerals in your saliva accumulate on pre-existing plaque. Tartar cannot be so easily removed and bacteria thrive in it.

Leave tartar untreated and the bacteria will grow stronger and more destructive, and before you know it you have a nasty case of gingivitis. When the build-up gets this bad, no amount of brushing or flossing will remove it and it will take the help of a dentist. Fortunately this is a painless process, albeit a slightly uncomfortable one but it is not one you should need to have done in the first place.

All this can be avoided if you take a few minutes to floss between your teeth. Whether you choose to floss before or after brushing is entirely up to you but it is both cheap and easy to do, and will save you from a lot of dental problems in the long run.

Put simply, an anaesthetic is used for the temporary blocking of nerves to eliminate sensation, most notably pain, during a procedure. However in practice there is a lot more to consider as there are many types of anaesthesia, which are administered in different ways and for different purposes.

Sedation can be used for a drowsy effect, allowing the patient to remain conscious but comfortable, and general anaesthetic can be used to knock them out completely and block any stimulation at all. However the most commonly used type in dentistry is local anaesthetic, which only blocks sensation in a very specific part of the body. Anything more powerful than that is usually unnecessary.

Local anaesthetic will usually be administered with a needle, which ironically is painful but only slightly, and the pain you are spared from the procedure greatly outweighs the minor pain to be expected from an injection. You will most probably be injected with Lidocaine, which blocks sodium channels in the nerve membranes. This makes the nerve temporarily unable to conduct any impulses so any pain that would be caused cannot be transmitted.

Following the injection you will lose sensation in your teeth, lower lip, chin and tongue, an effect that lasts for around 2 hours, depending on the dosage.

As is the case with any kind of medication there may be side effects so before undergoing any kind of procedure that involves anaesthesia it is vital to inform your dentist of any underlying health problems you may have.

Some things cannot wait and if certain problems are left they can develop into something much more serious. Here are some symptoms that really should not be ignored:

Gum Inflammation

Any problem with the gums should be investigated straight away as you may be suffering from gingivitis, a treatable disease but also one that can lead to serious infection and tooth loss if left alone. One visible warning sign is a change in colour.

Healthy gums are pink but inflammation will make them much redder. You should also take notice if the gums recede, which is quite easy to spot as the teeth will appear larger and more gaps will appear between them. Other symptoms include swollen gums, a spongier texture and bleeding.

White spots on teeth

White spots on the teeth themselves are an early sign of tooth decay. As the protective enamel layer dissolves it will give way to a whiter layer underneath. Whiter teeth may be everyone’s dream but in this case it is a sign that your teeth are weakening and it must be stopped while it is still treatable.

Sensitive teeth

Sensitivity to hot or cold food is a common symptom that may not even point to a problem. However, if it comes on suddenly then you should maybe sit up and take notice as it may point to advanced tooth decay. In this case the decay has made its way through the enamel and is already affecting the nerves and blood vessels inside so it is vital to get the cavity treated before it results in tooth loss.

Pain

Pain is never a good sign, indeed the human body allows itself to feel pain so we can tell when something is wrong. If you are feeling persistent pain in your tooth then it could potentially be a rather serious problem, especially if the tooth in question is sensitive not just to heat but also to touch. This is most likely down to an infection which must be treated. The pain may go away by itself after a few days if your body manages to fight the infection but there is every chance it may return so even if it stops you should have it looked at.

Changes in the mouth

Your teeth are not the only things that can be affected in your mouth and it is important to report any changes you see or feel. White or red patches on the tongue or cheeks that do not go away, lumps developing, and anything else that was not there before should all be checked. It could be something as simple as an ulcer but any of these symptoms, especially the persistent ones, could point to something much more serious.