Emergency and oral health advise

If an adult tooth is knocked out, all is not lost!

Do not panic but act quickly. If the tooth is not pushed back within 15 minutes it is unlikely it can be saved.

1: Find the tooth. Hold the tooth by the crown (the part usually visible in the mouth) not by the root (the pointed end). Do not scrub the tooth or place it in disinfectant.

2: If the tooth is clean, hold it by the crown and gently push it back into its socket, making sure it is the right way around. This is usually painless if done immediately after the accident.

3: If the tooth is dirty rinse it in cold water before gently pushing it back into place.

4: Hold the tooth in place. Ask the child to bite on a clean handkerchief.

5: See your dentist immediately. If this is not possible ask to see the on call dentist at the A&E department. the tooth need to be stabilised as soon as possible.

If a baby tooth is knocked out, do not worry.

There is nothing you can do,  a new tooth will replace it in due course.

If you are concerned at all we are just a phone call away.

Looking after childrens teeth.

Children need help by an adult to brush their teeth until approximately 8-9 years of age.

Use fluoride tooth paste. There are different concentrations for different ages.

Brush for 2 minutes, whether you use a manual or electric tooth brush is up to you but generally an electric tooth brush seem to be a more effective.

It is advisable to occasionally use disclosing tablets to monitor the brushing.

General diet advise

Why does healthy eating matter?

Your general health and your resistance to many diseases depend a lot on eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Your eating and drinking habits also affect the health of your teeth.

Dental plaque is a soft, sticky substance that builds up on your teeth. It is mostly made up of bacteria, which feed on sugar from food and drink, producing acids as a waste product. The acids attack the teeth by dissolving the minerals in the tooth surface.

This process is natural and impossible to avoid but it is important that it does not happen too often as you then develop tooth decay.

Normally these acids will be cleared within 30 minutes but try to not to eat anything for the next 2 hours to give the enamel enough time to repair itself.

Think of what you eat and when!

Try not to eat or drink more than 6 times per day- this includes any drinks but water.

Tooth erosion:

The main cause of tooth erosion is too frequent consumption of acidic food or drinks. Acids in food and drink can dissolve away tooth surface causing sensitivity and make your teeth more likely to develop cavities. All fizzy drinks (including “diet “  brands and fizzy mineral water), all squashes and all fruit juices are acidic to varying degrees. Some medicines are also acidic as well as stomach acid if you suffer eating disorders and vomit frequently

Using a particular tooth paste will not significantly affect or reverse this process! But remember to use a fluoride tooth paste.

Low fat or fat free products normally contain quite a lot of sugar (carbohydrates) and are more damaging to your teeth. This is why potato based snacks or food are very harmful to your teeth - AVOID CRISPS - they are worse for your teeth than chocolate. Dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate and is therefore not as harmful.

3 questions to ask yourself so you do not need fillings at every check up!

* Is it sweet?

* Is it sticky?

* Do you eat or drink it often?

Brushing your teeth will remove the plaque. Not only to avoid cavities to form but also prevent inflammation of the gums. If plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria in it can make your gums sore and infected. Painless gum pockets will start to form around the teeth. If you do not smoke your gums will normally bleed if this happens and you will be aware something is wrong. If you smoke the blood supply to the gums is damaged and it will not bleed.

If this is left untreated the bone supporting your teeth will slowly be lost and your teeth will become loose.