FAQ

Plaque is the sticky film that forms on your teeth each day. Plaque can be removed at home by brushing twice a day with a toothbrush and flossing once a day to remove plaque from between the teeth. If plaque is not removed daily it can go hard and turn into calculus. Plaque is full of bacteria which cause tooth decay and gum inflammation or gingivitis which can lead to periodontal disease.

Calculus is hardened plaque. Calculus cannot be removed at home with a toothbrush it must be removed by a dental professional.

Bad breath, medically called halitosis, can result from poor dental health habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Bad breath can also be made worse by the types of foods you eat and other unhealthy lifestyle habits. If you don’t brush and floss teeth daily, food particles can remain in your mouth, promoting bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This causes bad breath. Antibacterial mouth rinses also can help reduce bacteria. Smoking or chewing tobacco-based products also can cause bad breath, stain teeth, reduce your ability to taste foods and irritate your gums?

Regular six month visits are recommended and will assist in detection of problems at an early stage whilst also maintaining good oral hygiene and health.

Cleaning your teeth every day at home, while important, is only part of a successful routine. For most people, visiting your dentist every six to twelve months will help ensure a healthy mouth. Your dentist will use professional tools to remove plaque, calculus, and bacteria build-up that you are generally unable to efficiently clean yourself. Combining regular brushing and flossing with an annual dentist’s office visit will not only give you a more confident smile, but it will also help protect you from tooth decay, tooth loss, and gum disease.

Early tooth decay does not tend to show many physical signs. Sometimes the tooth looks healthy, but your dentist will be able to see from an x-ray (radiograph) whether you have any decay present under the enamel, any possible infections in the roots, or any bone loss around the tooth. X-rays can help the dentist to see in between your teeth or under the edge of your fillings. Finding and treating dental problems at an early stage can save both time and money.

In children, x-rays can be used to show where the second teeth are and when they will come through. This also
applies to adults when the wisdom teeth start to come through.

If you are a new patient, the dentist will probably suggest having x-rays. This helps them assess the condition of your mouth and to check for any hidden problems. After that, x-rays are usually recommended every 6 to 24 months depending on the person, their history of decay, age and the current condition of their mouth.

A cracked tooth can be caused by chewing or biting hard objects. If your teeth are heavily filled and weaker, there are more chances of cracks on that tooth. Old amalgam fillings predispose teeth to cracking. A tooth filled with amalgam stands a much higher chance of cracking than an unfilled tooth or a tooth filled with modern resin
or ceramic materials.

A dental implant is a titanium screw that is submerged into the jawbone. A dental implant is fabricated from a very strong, biocompatible material placed in a simple procedure that, generally, is as convenient as a tooth  extraction. After an initial healing period, during which the implant is buried in bone and left undisturbed under gum tissue, it is uncovered and connected to a small metal post that secures and supports the artificial tooth. The bone grows to the implant and bonds to it. This makes the implant very strong. The process is called ‘osseointegration’.