London cosmetic dentistry

Archive for August, 2008

London dentists look for oral cancers during routine examination

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

Oral cancer can occur inside the mouth, on the lips, gums, tongue, throat and salivary glands. The worst thing about this type of cancer is that it is completely asymptomatic at the beginning, mostly painless and therefore, extremely difficult to detect. But, there are some signs that maybe associated with an early onset of oral cancer. It is very essential to get any abnormalities in the mouth, tongue, lips, gums or surrounding areas checked by a dentist as oral cancer treatment has been found to be very effective if the cancer is detected and treated early on. There are many well-established dental practices in London for you to choose from.
Some of the most common signs of oral cancer include continuous pain in the mouth, difficulty in movement of the jaw or the mouth and in chewing or swallowing of food, sores, bumps and ulcerous lesions in the mouth, bleeding from the gums or cheeks, constant soreness in the throat, numbness in any part of the mouth and so on. Do remember that this is not an all-inclusive list and that these can also be symptoms of other dental ailments.
The best way to make sure is to get it evaluated by your dentist in London who may also refer you to an oncologist if he suspects that you might have oral cancer. Together, they will examine your mouth and also look into your medical history to prepare an initial diagnosis and suggest suitable treatment. If the initial treatment plan doesn’t yield results, a biopsy of the affected area needs to be performed. A confirmed malignant biopsy is used to diagnose oral cancer and identify its stage and grade. Additional tests such as X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans may also be required to determine the path of the cancer. Based on these tests, your dentist and doctor will create a treatment plan to suit you needs.

London Dental Patients Treated For Xerostomia

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

Xerostomia or dry mouth is a condition when the glands that produce the saliva for the mouth stop producing enough to keep the mouth moist. This problem in London dental patients seems to be very common and is usually a result of high stress. If the problem continues for longer duration of time, it is wise to find a good dentist in London to have them check the problem. Dry mouth can also be a symptom of other, more serious dental diseases.
If you think you may have dry mouth problems, the following symptoms may be present. See your dentist right away.
• Saliva thickens and you feel as though you can not talk or swallow correctly.
• The tongue gets a rough feel to it
• Your throat feels dry as does your mouth
• You may have a burning sensation in the mouth or be sensitive to spicy and salty foods
Halitosis or bad breath may be present
• Sores in the mouth are common
• Lip cracking can occur
• The tongue can be red, dry and raw
• If you wear dentures, it is more difficult to have them in than usual
• Your thirst increases
The reason dry mouth is such a problem is because saliva is needed for many things. It helps us to chew our food, swallow without choking, talk, taste correctly, and aids in the digestion of food. It also keeps certain bacteria in the mouth, under control so we do not have to deal with infections. Saliva also protects the teeth from decaying.

Dental Fillings Can Cause Backache – London-based Study

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

A new study has found out that metal accessories such as ear rings that are a rage in London and dental fillings made of metal can cause chronic back pain in susceptible people. The study discovered that any piece of metal that pierces or even touches the skin could cause a chain reaction throughout the body and affect the alignment of hundreds of muscles. Tooth fillings, though extremely small in size, have been found to cause aches and pains located far away from the mouth and jaw. According to experts, the body instinctively tries to move away any body parts that come in touch with metal as they cause discomfort to the skin. The muscles that correspond to that particular movement will then place more strain on the larger muscles supporting them in their effort to constantly create a distance between them and the metal objects. London experts suggest that the result of this is the creation of entire body stresses that are incurable by any amount of rest, nutrition or exercise.
Dental work or metal accessories are capable of irritating the nerve endings which in turn alters the way muscles function inside the body, leaving people susceptible to injury and prone to recurrent pain. It was found that metal fillings and other metal accessories are a common cause of back aches, neck pain and even arthritis.
But, the experts have good news too. Something as simple as removing metal accessories such as ear rings from the body can alleviate you from your misery. For dental fillings, it’s best to choose acrylic filling over the metal fillings.

Wisdom tooth removal in London

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

Out of all dental ailments, removing wisdom teeth is considered to be one of the most dreaded dental treatments. Contrary to the popular belief, wisdom tooth removal is quite simple and painless if performed early enough.
Most of the dentists in London observe the growth and placement of such teeth during the teenage. Dentists recommend removing when time comes right depending upon the patient’s age and growth of the teeth. It is therefore, important to be aware of such teeth by having regular dental checkups making sure such teeth get removed at the optimal time. One has to learn that wisdom teeth generally burst between the ages of 17 to 24 and there are usually four teeth that come in, two on upper jaw and two on lower. Some of the people never get all four teeth in a case known as hypodontia.
Wisdom tooth is known as third molars since they come in the back of the mouth just next to the second molars. Removal of wisdom teeth is advised because of lack of space on the jaws for these extra teeth. Human anatomy of the jaw is provided with extra space that is big enough to house wisdom teeth and hence, it is better to get it removed, in case, it is troubling a lot. Removal of such teeth is to be done under experts’ hands or else it could be very painful. One has to search for qualified and skilled dentist in order to get it done. Impacted wisdom tooth can damage the tooth next to it and requires extra dental methods to fix the adjacent tooth. There are chances of infection that arises as food particles get trapped between the teeth. It is therefore to keep watch on wisdom tooth and get it removed if any problem occurs.

Gingivitis treatment in London

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

Gingivitis can be defined as an inflammation of the gums and is also considered to be initial stage of the gum disease. The soft, sticky and colorless film of bacteria, known as plaque, is the main causative factor of gingivitis. Such plaque daily forms on the teeth as well as gum and by regular tooth brushing we generally remove this. If plaque remains on its site, it then produces some toxins that irritate the gums and cause gingivitis.Other causes of gingivitis include trauma to the gums, uncontrolled diabetes, pregnancy and poor dental hygiene. If gingivitis is not treated properly, it turns to periodontitis that can damage the teeth and its surrounding structure permanently.

The options for gingivitis treatment in London are plenty. There are many dental clinics run by professional and skilled dentists offering effective treatment for gingivitis that begin with initial cleaning, scaling and curettage. You are also advised to maintain oral hygiene by brushing teeth with proper toothpaste and toothbrush. However, in some advanced case, where the surgery is required, dentists may reduce deep pockets that remain underneath the gum. This is generally followed by low dose oral and/or topical antibiotics for certain period.

Once your fist sitting is over, you may need to visit dentist for follow-ups for gingivitis treatment in London for local oral examination and also in order to prevent recurrence of the disease. You also require regular cleanings every three months that may last 45 minutes to an hour.