London cosmetic dentistry

Posts Tagged ‘Gum disease’

Dental bridges for londoners

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

when a phony tooth is fused in between a porcelain crown to fill in the gap left by a lost tooth is it is called as dental bridge. London bridges reduce the danger of gum infection, help in improving speech and correct bite issues. One needs to take the importance of oral hygiene seriously once someone opts for dental bridges.A person with a missing tooth and follows oral hygiene religiously can go in for dental bridges. If one does not attend to the space left between the teeth, the surrounding teeth may drift away from position and it may become susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay.

Dental bridge can be accomplished by giving anaesthesia. The cosmetic dentist then removes the teeth from the area of abutment so as to accommodate the thick crown. In case the fillings are already present it is left intact to make the foundation of the crown.

The impression made by the dentist will be used as a model for making the crown and the false tooth which will be made in a dental laboratory. The dentist will provide you with a temporary bridge so as to protect your gums and teeth till a permanent bridge is fitted. The permanent bridge is then checked for bite discrepancy.

London Dental bridges are of three types

fixed bridges - as the title suggests cannot be removed like partial dentures.

Bonded bridges - is mainly used for the front teeth.

Cantilever bridges - It is basically used when one side of the space has teeth.

Bridges gives the teeth a natural appearance and if oral hygiene is maintained it could last you for over a decade. The only disadvantage of going in for bridges is that if oral hygiene is not followed properly there is a possibility of the teeth and gums getting affected.

The Basic Information on Gum Disease for people of London

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

This disease affects people of all ages. Periodontal is also referred to gum disease. Generally it is an infection of the tissues and bones that support the entire network of teeth. If this disease is not treated it can become so serious causing the teeth to become loose and hence they will gradually fall out.
This disease is often caused by the buildup of plague, which is an accumulation of germs which form around the teeth and gums. The plague consists of bacteria which produces toxins that damage the gums.
There are several hundreds of bacteria which live in our mouth. Hence we battle every time by brushing, flossing our teeth and also visiting your London dentist regularly in order to fight these germs.
Gingivitis and Periodontitis are the gum diseases which are often known as serious infections.
Gingivitis - It is often known as the mildest form of gum disease and it causes the gums to be come red and swollen. The gums become very week and at times they bleed. This disease is often caused by lack of oral hygiene.
Periodontitis - is known as the advance stage of gingivitis. The plague spreads and grows below the gum. The bacteria produced causes discomfort to the gums. The gums begin to separate from the teeth since the tissues and bones that support the teeth will be destroyed.
There are several forms of Periodontitis and the commons ones are Aggressive Periodontitis, Chronic Periodontitis, Periodontitis as a manifestation of systemic diseases, Necrotizing periodontal disease.
The symptoms of gum disease are that gums start to bleed whilst sleeping or brushing your teeth. Gums begin to turn red and become swollen.
This disease can be cured by the use of professional treatment or oral home care that includes healthy eating, flossing and brushing of teeth regularly.

Gum Disease and Cosmetic Surgery in London

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

A lot of people I meet around London ask me direct questions about the procedures involved in cosmetic dentistry, and how much it will cost them. Cosmetic dentistry could supplement an already exemplary oral hygiene, or reverse the damage of dental erosion brought about by lifestyle choices (such as extreme addiction to candy floss or smoking). The cost of cosmetic dentistry varies from patient to patient, and mostly depends on the extensiveness of the procedures.One thing that will greatly magnify the cost and extensiveness of a cosmetic teeth restoration is gum disease. Before any procedure can be implemented, the gum or gingival disorder has to be treated and kept at bay. The initial dental clinic visits will determine whether a patient’s gums are healthy enough to accommodate cosmetic dental procedures or not. Some visible signs to look out for include bleeding gums, sensitivity to heat or cold, and changes in the physical appearance of the gums and teeth over time. Once successfully treated, the dentist will then recommend the best cosmetic procedures applicable to the patient.

Whilst the initial procedures could be the most complex, a patient should go back for consultation to maintain of the beauty of the rejuvenated teeth. These subsequent visits may involve touch up, cleaning and more advice on how to continue caring for a patient’s teeth and gums outside the dentist’s office. The patient must strictly abide by the recommended after-care programme for maintenance of his dental health. That last information is crucial and I constantly remind my patients to follow my guidelines.

London dentists advise on best ways to control gum disease!

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

No one really likes visiting their London dentist but it’s really necessary that you do get a check up done atleast once in six months. The main reason for this is that gum disease is a really insidious condition which has no major symptoms until the disease has advanced to a very bad condition. Here’s how it starts!The formation of soft and hard deposits on the teeth surface is really common and occurs for everyone. But most of the time with proper care plaque is not allowed to accumulate. But irregular brushing and poor oral hygiene can result in plaque accumulations which are infected with bacteria starting gum diseases. The plaque that slowly hardens over time and collects at the gum line is then called as calculus or tartar. Plaque or tartar now houses colonies of bacteria which infect the adjoining gums to cause gingivitis or gum inflammation. This infection can spread into the bone and can cause peridontitis.

If you do not catch this condition immediately for treatment, it can lead to loss of teeth, loose teeth or shrinking gums. Proper brushing techniques and flossing will help a lot to remove plaque formation. Oral health is also very important especially in pregnant women and in diabetic patients. People in this category are more susceptible to develop serious gum diseases. Other than loss of teeth, gum disease can cause serious inflammations in heart valves. The bacteria in the infected teeth can spread into the blood stream while chewing or eating and then reach lungs and other organs to cause serious infections.

Smoking and Periodontal disease: New research from London.

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

Are you a smoker? Do you suffer from chronic dental problems? Research has now proved that smoker lose teeth more readily than non smokers due to the irritation of the tar products in cigarette smoke. Smoking is a very important factor for developing severe periodontal disease. Even if the smoking patients get periodontal surgery done, healing post-surgery takes a much longer time. A few common signs of smoker which can develop to severe periodontal disease are
• Calculus is a hard calcified deposit which occurs in nearly every mouth. But it seems to form faster in smokers. These deposits accumulate along the gum line and on the inner surface of your tooth and are usually colored dark brown for smoker. This has to be cleaned away by a professional and cannot be removed by brushing alone.
• Calculus then continues to push below the gum line causing the gums to separate from the teeth. This forms a deep sack between your teeth and gums whish is the beginning of periodontal disease or gum disease.
• If calculus is not removed in time by a professional; it sediments below your gum line giving protection for bacteria. These bacteria can destroy your gum tissue and in turn can pull away the gums from your teeth. Causing teeth to loosen and fall out.

Dental Hygienists in London

Sunday, April 27th, 2008

Dental hygiene services in London, as in most parts of the world, are specialized services centred on promoting general or 15553-30dg1.jpgspecific dental wellness. Along with checking patients up for symptoms and signs of oral diseases, dental hygiene services provide immediate services to affected patients as well as educate them on taking measures for preventing dental or gum-related diseases at home. The best dental hygiene services involve preventive procedures for tooth decay and gum infections.The primary predilection among the dental hygiene providers is oral prophylaxis, popularly known as teeth and gum cleaning services. Generally, the procedures involve scaling the amputation of the hard calculus depositions below and above the gum-line, in the subgingival and supragingival areas. These calculus deposits are the breeding site infection-causing bacterial colonies that give rise to the most popular oral diseases, like teeth and root decay, teeth loss and other periodontal diseases.

However, it is important to note that dental hygiene services do not include coronal polishing or supragingival scaling. Since, most of the times, periodontal diseases initiate from below the gum-line, scaling should also be directed at the same area and should be treated with utmost care. It is not expected of a professional dental hygienist to provide the patients with negligent polishing, and portraying it as thorough dental hygiene services. A dentals hygienist’s responsibilities are immense and any negligence here can trigger harmful changes in the gums and teeth. For instance, the fluoride-containing tooth enamel may get removed causing damage to the structure of the tooth lying underneath.

Other important dental hygiene services include applying sealants on teeth fissures and pits, thereby offering greater teeth protection against damage and decay.

Rising Awareness about Gum Care in London

Sunday, April 27th, 2008

b13732.jpgAlthough the dental cosmetic industry has gained much momentum in the last few decades in grooming one’s overall personality, awareness regarding overall oral care and hygiene still occupies a backseat among many people. While at one hand, people are concentrating their efforts on building a spectacular set of teeth with dental procedures like teeth whitening and others, on the other hand their gums are being the subject of much neglect. However, the point is to concentrate on the general oral health and thereby ensure a healthy set of teeth and gums, as opposed to just beautiful teeth.The cause has received support from several dental practitioners from London, with the Gum Disease Awareness Week to draw some serious attention of people towards the otherwise neglected gum conditions. The role of healthy gums is undeniable when it comes to a beautiful and healthy set of teeth. Moreover, it is to this end that practitioners from almost everywhere in the planet have joined hands in furthering the consciousness among people affected by gum problems whatsoever.

Latest researches conducted in the field have proved that more than 75% of the world populations above 35 years of age are affected by gum diseases, the symptoms of which have been prevalent among 50% of them since their teenage - if only they were aware! To make things even worse, gum diseases do not always manifest themselves in symptoms and as per reports, more than 90% of the entire world’s adult population suffer from some sort of gum disease. In fact, bad breath is also a condition commonly related to bad gum conditions and improper oral hygiene. The requirements here are regular dental checkups and early diagnosis so that gum diseases and other related problems are a less pestering problem among people!

Gingivitis- Very common in London.

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

Most of us, at least once in our lifetime would have experienced bleeding while brushing. Don’t worry, you are just one among millions who are affected with this extremely common disease, particularly those living in London. This is the commonest gum disease affecting all age groups irrespective of their gender or general health condition and the easiest one to cure, if properly taken care of. Gingivitis is the inflammation of gums that generally presents with soft puffy gums bleeding easily on slightest pressure. If you examine a healthy gum, it has a pale pink appearance and is firm to touch. Hence, if you experience any such symptoms, don’t hesitate to visit your dentist as soon as possible; because if not treated, this early stage can progress to more complicated other conditions such as periodontitis, abscess in teeth, loss of teeth, etc. Gingivitis can develop without you being noticing any of the symptoms because in early-stage, the disease is painless. The condition is caused by multiplication of bacteria, which colonise in between the gums and teeth. The forerunner of all gum diseases is formation of plaque that develops on the gumline of your teeth as a sticky thin coating. This coating is formed from the interaction between oral bacteria and sugars and starch in food. When we brush our teeth, it is removed but forms again and if it stays there for long, develops into tartar, which is much harder and are not removed by brushing or flossing. So the important thing we have to remember is the regular cleaning or brushing after each meal if possible or at least twice daily. Though plaques are the major cause of gingivitis by acting as the reservoir of bacteria, there are some other causes too. They are other health conditions such as leukaemia autoimmune diseases, pemphigus, diabetes, etc., use of some drugs such as antidepressants, antiseizure medications, and immunosuppressants, and smoking tobacco are some to mention. Sometimes viruses or fungi can also cause this condition. Hormone changes have some effect in producing this condition. Nutritional status of an individual has a major role to play in maintaining the health of the gums. Therefore, you have to ensure an adequate intake of vitamin B, C, and D while undergoing treatment for gum diseases.

People of London are health conscious and do give importance to health checkups, but when it comes to minor dental problems, we just don’t remember to keep our appointment with our dentist. So, don’t wait for a bloody spongy gum to remind us of our next appointment to professionally clean our teeth, free of plaques and tartar.