The dangers of oral piercings

Looks like your Mum was right all along.

Don’t pierce your tongue! Feel free to share with friends and family that might be considering this…

Mouthwashes – what type for what problem?

Many people use mouthwashes, but not all mouthwashes are the same.  Many people use them primarily as a breath freshener but each mouthwash has a different benefit.

The mouthwashes below are all stocked at Mapplewell Dental Centre and are currently offered at a 10% discount.  A brief explanation of each one is provided below to help our customers select the right one for them :

 

Corsodyl is a commonly used mouthwash.  There are two types commonly used.

The original Corsodyl (right) is used to treat active gum disease, acute infections and thrush infections under dentures.  It is NOT a breath freshener!  Also it should not be used for more than two weeks as it stains and can cause taste disturbances.  IN SUMMARY, USE THIS IF YOU HAVE ACUTE GUM INFECTIONS

Corsodyl Daily is fine to use on a daily basis as the name suggests.  It works as a general purpose mouthwash, contains Fluoride to help strengthen teeth and helps to prevent gum disease. IN SUMMARY, USE THIS IF YOU HAVE PERSISTENT GUM DISEASE

Colgate Fluorigard daily mouth rinse, is an excellent mouthwash if the main requirement is to fight tooth decay.  It also has a lovely taste!  It does help to fight the formation of plaque acids but isn’t really much use against gum disease.  It is alcohol free so is beneficial for under 18’s and patients with sensitive mouths.  IN SUMMARY, USE THIS IF YOU SEEM TO NEED SEVERAL FILLINGS AND WANT A NICE TASTE!

Aquafresh My Big Teeth mouthwash has a reduced fluoride content so is safe for childrens use.  It tastes lovely too!  SUMMARY , USE IF YOU ARE A CHILD TO HELP TO FIGHT TOOTH DECAY!

Our final two mouthwashes are Sensodyne Pronamel and Biotene.  Both have very specific purposes.

Pronamel is designed to help remineralise enamel.  It is alcohol free too.  IN SUMMARY – USE IF YOU HAVE EROSION OF THE TEETH OR SENSITIVE TEETH

Biotene is a very effective mouthwash to aid with dry mouth symptoms.  Many patients suffer with dry mouth.  It is often linked to certain prescription medication such as certain anti-depressants and blood pressure tablets.  SUMMARY – USE IF YOU HAVE A DRY MOUTH.

Gentlemen – why your oral hygiene maybe more important than you first thought!

Did you know that a link between poor gum health and erectile dysfunction was first recognised in 2009?  

Although not totally statistically significant, in a study of 70 men with erectile dysfunction, 80% of the patients suffering with severe ED exhibited significant levels of gum disease.

Recent studies using significantly more men seem to confirm this link.

So gentlemen – book your hygienist appointment tomorrow!

Carol’s Story – why Denplan makes sense

How my monthly Denplan payment saved me a small fortune – Mrs Carol B.

In March 2014, I noticed a worsening pain in the upper right part of my mouth.  Hot and cold drinks were really painful and things came to a head when it became impossible to touch two of my teeth on this side.

Mark and his team really put me at ease.  The cause of the pain was due to dying nerves in my teeth and unfortunately two of the teeth in the region needed root canal treatment.

Mark managed to totally cure the pain, provide the root canal treatments and replace my existing discoloured fillings with new white fillings and I am now symptom free.

Fortunately, as I am a Denplan Care patient, all of the work provided was covered by my monthly payment of £25.70

The cost of this treatment for a ‘pay as you go’ patient is £909 so my monthly investment paid dividends!

Thank you to all at Mapplewell Dental Centre

Does snoring drive a wedge into your relationship?

Do you snore or does your partner snore?

If the answer is yes, help may be at hand at the Mapplewell Dental Centre.

One of our dentists, John Rawlinson has developed a special interest in removing this potentially debilitating problem. For a £50 consultation fee, John will assess you and complete a pre-treatment questionnaire, and assess whether a mandibular advancement appliance may be of benefit.

Basic Tips to reduce snoring include:

a) Try to sleep on your side if possible, rather than on your back
b) Avoid caffeine, alcohol and heavy meals in the 2 hours before bed.
c) Consider steps towards weight loss if overweight.

If after the assessment session it is felt that an appliance would help, they are available at the practice and can be made for £340.

An electric toothbrush for Christmas anyone?

Are electric toothbrushes better than manual ones?

This is a question we are asked by patients almost every day. In fact, according to a study at Sheffield University, rotating brushes reduce 11% more plaque than manual toothbrushes, and can also significantly reduce gum problems – like gingivitis, in as little as four weeks. And the results get better the longer you use them.

The big advantage of electric brushes, is that they do most of the work for you, This is a particularly good thing for people who tend to be a bit heavy-handed with manual brushes, as overbrushing can lead to gum recession, toothwear and sensitivity. The better ones also have timers so you know exactly how long to brush for (two minutes is the recommended minimum). Ones with round heads and side-to-side oscillations are especially effective because they ‘hug’ the tooth as they brush, making sure it’s cleaned from more than one side.

The trick is to use then correctly. The most common mistake is to use them like you would a normal toothbrush. Instead, you should simply place the brush head against each individual tooth at a 45 degree angle to the gumline and let the little oscillations and pulsations do the rest.

Having said all that, the best kind of toothbrush is one that is used! If you are the sort of person whose mobile phone battery is always flat, maybe you should stick to the manual brush!

November is Oral Cancer awareness month – Early Diagnosis is Key

A Few Facts about Oral Cancer

Oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth and the pharynx (the back of the throat).

It accounts for roughly 2% of all cancers diagnosed annually in the UK. Approximately 6,500 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer each year and about 2000 will die from the disease. On average, 60 percent of those with the disease will survive more than 5 years and early detection increases survival rates substantially.

Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40 and affects more than twice as many men as women.

What Puts Someone At Risk?

Tobacco And Alcohol Use

Most cases of oral cancer are linked to cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol use, or the use of both tobacco and alcohol together.  Using tobacco plus alcohol poses a much greater risk than using either substance alone.

HPV

Infection with the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (specifically the HPV 16 type) has been linked to a certain oral cancers.

Age

Risk increases with age. Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40, although the frequency of occurrence in younger people appears to be increasing.

Sun Exposure

Cancer of the lip can be caused by excessive exposure to sunlight.  Always use sunscreen if you are outdoors for long periods.

Diet

A diet low in fruits and vegetables may play a role in oral cancer development.

Possible Signs & Symptoms

• A sore, irritation, lump or thick patch in your mouth, lip, or throat
• A white or red patch in your mouth
• A feeling that something is caught in your throat
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Difficulty moving your jaw or tongue
• Numbness in your tongue or other areas of your mouth
• Swelling of your jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
• Pain in one ear without hearing loss

Remember – Early detection is the most important factor in successful treatment for oral cancer, so it is important that you make an appointment as soon as possible if you notice any of the above.

Your regular dental examination is an excellent opportunity for us to spot any warning signs and if necessary to ensure that prompt treatment is provided.

Summer Newsletter 2013

Download our Summer newsletter and check out our Summer offer……look inside!

Do you suffer from a dry mouth?

A lot of our patients suffer from some dryness of the mouth. 

This is caused by inadequate production or flow of saliva. For some people, this is just a nuisance, but at the more severe end it can lead to health problems. Tooth decay, gum disease, yeast infections, bad breath and difficulty swallowing can result from a chronically dry mouth. It can also make the wearing of dentures very uncomfortable.

Reduced saliva flow can be caused by several diseases and is sometimes a result of radiotherapy to the head and neck. However, by far the most common cause is medication. Antihistamines, painkillers, decongestants and drugs used to treat high blood pressure and depression are common culprits.

Simple things you can do to get relief include:

• Taking frequent sips of water
• Using alcohol-free oral rinses
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and carbonated drinks as far as possible
• Sugar-free chewing gum
• Special dry mouth toothpastes and gels such as Biotene (available at Mapplewell Dental Centre)
• You may also benefit from the use of high fluoride toothpastes and oral rinses.

If you suffer from a dry mouth, please remember to mention it to us so we can try to identify possible causes and give you appropriate advice.

August 2012 Newsletter

Read our August 2012 newsletter here in PDF format

Why Mouthguards are so important

Q.  Do you know how many teeth are knocked out each year due to sports related injuries?

A. Over three million!

If your child plays any form of contact sport, rides a horse or a mountain bike, a professionally made mouthguard can reduce the risk of dental injury significantly. At the Mapplewell Dental Centre our custom made mouth guards cost between £52 and £65 and are a perfect fit.

What should you do if your child’s tooth is knocked out?

Whenever possible try to get to your dentist within 30 minutes.

Do not touch the root of the tooth as it is easily damaged, rinse the tooth in milk if it is dirty and if unable to replace it back in its socket, put it in a glass of milk to feed the tooth nutrients.

Try to avoid this if possible!

Welcome to Galer

Galer Farrer will be taking over the care of Natasha’s patients.

Galer has worked under many of the leading consultants at Sheffield Dental Hospital and whilst there gathered a broad base of experience. She is extremely keen and enthusiastic and will be a great asset to the practice.

Welcome to Julian

Dr. Julian Yates BSc BDS PhD MFDSRCPS FDSRCPS qualified from Glasgow Dental School in 1996 and is a Senior Lecturer/Honorary Consultant in Oral Surgery at the University of Sheffield.

August 2011 Newsletter

Goodbye Natasha

As many of you are aware, Natasha Azzopardi left to have a baby in July. She has been with us for three years and has been an excellent dentist who will be greatly missed.

Good luck to Nat on impending motherhood and her future dental career.