Dental Problems and Their Solutions

From time to time, we notice things about our teeth that aren’t quite right. Whether dental problems are in the early stages or in a more developed stage, this blog outlines some of the problems that affect teeth. Also, this blog tells you how we at Midlands Smile Centres can provide treatment to alleviate these problems. This is good news for you. The MSC boast a team of highly skilled, proficient and experienced dentists ready and willing to give you the help you need.

Poor Oral Health

It is very important to achieve and maintain the standard of your oral health. Failing to do so can lead to an increased chance of tooth wear, tooth decay and gum disease. Making an effort to prevent gum disease is especially important because gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss.

The Solution

The most important thing to do to maintain your oral health is to brush twice daily to floss and use mouthwash.

After that, the most helpful thing to do to keep on top of your oral health (or to fix it, if you know it is already poor) is to visit the hygienist.

The hygienist will give your teeth a good, through and professional clean. This process is commonly referred to as a scale and polish. In addition to this, the hygienist will provide advice about helping you to keep your teeth plaque-free. The hygienist will also advise you about your diet and ways to prevent tooth decay.

Wisdom Teeth

This is a very common issue that affects many people. As wisdom teeth come through, they can cause pain or discomfort. The reason for this is that often there is not space inside the mouth and the wisdom teeth push against the other teeth in the mouth or emerge at an angle.

The Solution:

It is important to be seen by a dentist if you have any problems when your wisdom teeth come through. The dentist will take an X-ray of your teeth and determine whether or not the wisdom teeth need to be taken out, and how to do this. The MSC dentist will perform this extraction if it is deemed necessary.

Dissatisfaction with teeth’s appearance

This problem is an entirely subjective one. Put simply, some people are not happy with the way their teeth look, and feel this is an issue that needs rectifying. Crooked or crowded teeth, or teeth that are thought to not be white enough are examples of the complaints that some people have with their teeth.

The Solution:

There are many and various cosmetic dental treatments to improve the appearance of teeth:

Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment (or braces) is a common treatment for crooked or crowded teeth. We at MSC can offer you traditional braces, Invisalign (invisible) braces and Six Months Smiles. All of these forms of braces are designed to make a positive difference and help you achieve the smile you want.

Veneers

These are tooth-coloured, thin layers of material. They are usually made of porcelain and are placed over irregular shaped or discoloured teeth.

Tooth Whitening

If the dentist decides that it is suitable for you, you will have the option of being able to use a home whitening kit. For these kits, specially made trays will be created that can be filled with whitening gel and worn for a few hours every day until the desired result is achieved.

Airflow

This form of cosmetic dentistry utilises a pressurised jet of air, water and sodium bicarbonate to remove stains, clean between your teeth and remove the build-up of plaque.

White Fillings

An alternative to grey metal amalgam fillings, white fillings will provide the necessary function along with a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Gold services

For an extra touch of style, gold services at MSC may just be what you’re looking for. We offer gold implants, gold crowns/custom crown design, gold inlays and gold veneers.

Missing Teeth

The problem of a missing tooth can be a result of many things including illness, accident, injury, sporting injury or simply poor oral hygiene. Missing teeth pose various problems not only with eating, but with tooth development and gum integrity. Perhaps one of the most significant problems is that a missing tooth can undermine a person’s confidence due to the impact they have on their smile.

The Solution:

There are several different ways to deal with the issue of missing teeth. These range from dental implants, denture implants or gold implants, to bridges and dentures. Where a tooth is only partially damaged a crown may be recommended to restore the missing part of a tooth.

In Conclusion:

There are many ways in which people can experience dental problems and a good look at them only highlights the need for careful dental hygiene and regular check-ups with your dentist and hygienist to quickly identify and deal with emerging problems.

When dental problems have developed and intervention is necessary, it is advisable to seek immediate help with a good, trusted and competent dentist. Midlands Smile Centres offers professional and experienced dentists, who are able to provide high quality dental treatment solutions to any of your dental problems. Contact us now to book your appointment.

Easy Tips for Dental Health

There are a number of things that we can all do to make sure our teeth stay in a healthy condition. As this blog should make clear, doing this needn’t be complicated. Follow this easy guide and discover simple ways to ensure you have healthy teeth.

Brushing

Without applying too much pressure, it is important to brush your teeth twice every day. Two minutes is the recommended time that you should brush your teeth for. It is also recommended that you brush your teeth after every meal. Consider carefully the type of toothbrush you use and maybe think about using an electric toothbrush. These offer greater efficiency when it comes to cleaning, especially due to the fact that they can make contact with areas that are difficult to reach.

Make sure you choose the best toothpaste for you, as there are many types available. Make sure that your toothpaste contains fluoride, as this strengthens the teeth and helps prevent tooth decay.

Likewise, mouthwash and flossing can be very helpful for keeping a healthy mouth. Mouthwash can be used to freshen breath, disinfect the mouth and fluoridate the teeth. Flossing helps extract pieces of food lodged between your teeth, cleaning areas that a toothbrush cannot reach and helping to protect against gum disease.

Eating and Drinking

Be sure to limit the amount of sugary food and drinks you consume, as high-volumes of sugar and starch in your diet contribute to elevated levels of acid in your mouth which undermines your dental standards. Alcohol is one type of drink to be wary of, as it has the potential to deteriorate the surface of teeth which can cause the loss of enamel.

One drink that can actually be of benefit to your teeth is water. This is because water is free from sugar and it can be used to clear your teeth of any food particles, which, if left lodged between your teeth, could cause decay or plaque.

Another method of improving your dental health is by eating a varied diet that includes a large quantity of vitamins and minerals. Doing this helps to provide a defence against gum disease. Calcium is also an important part of diet, as it improves the strength of your teeth. Calcium rich foods include cheese, yoghurt and soybeans. Vitamin D aids your body’s absorption of calcium.

Regular Visits to the Dentists

This is critical to maintaining the standard of your dental health and can allow for early detection of problems with your teeth. This, in turn which helps you to avoid elaborate and costly treatment for problems that could have been spotted before they were allowed to develop.

Your dentist can also recommend habits that you can instill to improve your dental health, and point out any current habits that you may have that could be deleterious to your dental health.

Find a Midland Smile dentist near you.

Sealants

These thin, protective layers applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth can protect teeth from decay. Enquire with your local dentist to find out more about sealants and how they can help you.

Taking Care of Sensitive Teeth

Use a brush with soft bristles, a toothpaste for sensitive teeth and brush gently if you suffer from sensitive teeth. Be careful with acidic and sweet food and drink because they can contribute towards sensitivity. Consider consulting your dentist if the sensitivity persists.

Maintaining Saliva

Saliva is a key part of keeping your teeth healthy. In the absence of saliva, a dry mouth develops which can cause problems with your dental health. Saliva is important for maintaining the pH of your mouth, ensuring that the acids that attack your teeth are neutralised. Consulting a doctor is the best step towards alleviating the causes of dry mouth.

Refrain from Smoking

Stopping smoking will increase the health of your teeth, not to mention your overall health. Toothpaste designed to prevent the staining and bacteria from smoking is available for those that smoke. Remember, your oral health is very closely linked to your overall health, which makes smoking that extra bit more harmful. Help is available for those who wish to stop smoking from your doctor or dentist.

Seek Medical Advice About Acid Reflux Symptoms

Due to the fact that acid reflux symptoms or GERD can damage the enamel of your teeth, it is wise to seek advice from your doctor to help gain control over the symptoms.

Keep Your Teeth Protected

Keep your teeth in a healthy condition by not using teeth for opening or holding things. Be aware also that mouth piercings can damage teeth. The use of mouth guards during sports activities is also advised.

Sugar-free Gum

This helps create saliva which alleviates oral dryness and assists in the neutralisation of plaque acids and in maintaining the mineralisation of teeth.

Taking Care of Your Braces

Brush your teeth after mealtimes, making sure you brush your braces at the same time. When you do this, take out the removable parts including the elastics without interfering with the wires. Flossing before and the use of mouthwash after brushing is also advised.

Foods that are softer should be favoured in the first few days after brace fitting, while hard and sticky foods should generally be approached with caution. Try to lessen your consumption of sugary food and drink, and consult your dentist if you experience any difficulties with your brace. Get in touch with your dentist if you feel any pain in the first couple of days of having your brace fitted, or if you break or lose your brace.

For More Advice

Visit our website for more dental tips or contact us for more advice from a friendly and professional dentist near you.

Smoking and its Effects on Your Dental Health

Smoking has a dramatic effect on a person’s overall health. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. On average 1 in 6 adults smoke. 17% of men and 16% for women. This means that, in the UK, there are 9.1 million adult smokers. Smoking causes a range of dental health issues. Gum disease and mouth cancer have been rising in more recent years. Here we aim to provide a facts and figures guide to smoking and how it can affect oral health.

Smoking and its effects on dental health   

As we all know, smoking can cause a wide range of problems in all areas of the body. One of the major areas includes your mouth. Constant inhalation of the toxins nicotine and tar can result in a host of problems. Research conducted by Cancer research UK find that 9 out of 10 cases of mouth cancer are down to poor lifestyle choices such as smoking. Reading this you may wonder what causes such a vast number of people to take up smoking or why people find it so difficult to stop? The key drug in cigarettes, nicotine, is highly addictive. In fact, it can be as addictive as cocaine. This means that giving it up is easier said than done. So, why bother in the first place? One misconception about smoking is that it only takes one cigarette to get addicted. Opening yourself to smoking is the first step to becoming addicted. You tend to find that people who are open to a “social smoke” or the idea of smoking end up getting trapped, however it also seems that many smokers are starting from a young age and have one or more close family members that smoke.

 

Damage caused by smoking    

Smoking has a dramatic effect on your dental health, you may notice that smokers tend to have yellow or rotted teeth. This is not down to the fact that they do not do a good job of cleaning, but brushing alone is simply not enough to remove these stains. Teeth whitening could be the only way to return teeth back to their natural state. Tobacco, over time, leaves a yellow stain on your teeth which is extremely difficult to remove once it’s there. This is not the only issue that affects the smoking population. Rotting teeth, mouth cancer and gum disease are all common issues for smokers. One major issue that we come across at MSC is tooth loss, many people end up needing dental implants to fix these problem.

What can you do about it

There are many options open to smokers to help them avoid the problems of smoking. These include: nicotine gum, nicotine spray, nicotine patches and e-cigarettes or vape pens. Several of these options are not highly successful. It is not simply nicotine that needs to be suppressed, but the actions that come along with it. If you are to ask someone who has smoked at some point in their life, they may tell you that the action of moving their arm, having something between their fingers and the taste/feel also play a part. In more recent years, vape pens and e-cigarettes have become the most popular way to quit, offering almost everything that comes with smoking without containing as many harmful substances. All of these options offer an exit, however they fail to provide a cost-effective way to do so.

Cold turkey

It is not often that you see many people take this route to quit smoking, but it is quite easily, the most effective and cost efficient path. The simple fact is, that if you have the determination to fight the addiction for the respective time, you will quit. It also ensures that you won’t become dependent on any other form of quitting. We understand that this may not be true for everyone and would not discourage anyone form using other methods, however figures suggest that you are much more likely to quit due to the fact you shorten your withdrawal period.

To find out more information about smoking and its affects to your dental health. Head to the Midlands Smile Centres website where you will find the mouth cancer figure page.