Transform Your Smile

Blog posts by Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic relating to Transforming your smile

Veneers For Crooked Teeth

Veneers For Crooked Teeth-Everything You Need To Know

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Some people are born with perfectly straight, sparkling white teeth; On the other hand, others may have some facial defects that ruin their smile and facial aesthetics. If you have crooked teeth that make you shy away from smiling or speaking publicly, cosmetic dentistry can help you! This article explains one of the most effective and time-tested options for fixing crooked, misaligned, or chipped teeth – dental veneers. So, continue reading to find out how you can enjoy a rockstar smile with dental veneers. 

What’s A Veneer?

According to the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, veneers are wafer-thin shells of composite resins or porcelain that are bonded to the front surface of the teeth. Dental veneers are used for a wide variety of cosmetic and restorative dental issues without the need for excessive removal of the natural tooth structure. 

Can I Get No Prep Veneers If I Have Crooked Teeth?

No-prep veneers, also called lumineers, are extremely thin shells like veneers – only much thinner – that can be applied directly to the teeth without the need for tooth removal (in most cases). As a result, lumineers are an ideal option for fixing minor cosmetic defects. However, in excessively crooked teeth, your dentist will first restore them with a suitable filling material and then apply lumineers over them. This is because the lumineers are so thin that they do not play a protective or supportive role – they only enhance the aesthetics. Therefore, a pre-requisite for lumineer placement is that the teeth should not have extensive structural damage. 

Should I Get Dental Veneers Or Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is a procedure in which your dentist will restore grossly damaged or stained teeth by applying a tooth coloured filling material over them. Dental bonding is performed at the dental chairside and is typically suitable for restoring mild aesthetic or structural defects. On the other hand, dental veneers are prepared in the laboratory. Hence, they are much stronger and aesthetically pleasing than composite fillings. Besides, veneers are also relatively long-lasting and do not get stained easily. Therefore, if you are looking for the best aesthetic outcome, you should go for veneers. 

Who Qualifies As A Good Candidate For Dental Veneers?

Any individual having crooked or chipped teeth is a potential candidate for porcelain veneers. Dental veneers are ideal restorative options in the following cases:

  • Cracked or chipped teeth 
  • Permanent teeth stains 
  • Mild teeth gaps 
  • Mild teeth overlapping 
  • Smile makeovers 
  • Tooth recontouring 

Are Veneers Harmful To Teeth?

One may think that since veneers require removal of the healthy tooth structure for their attachment, they will be harmful to one’s oral health. But, that is not the case; only a very thin layer of the enamel is removed, which will not harm your teeth. However, if you don’t maintain optimal oral hygiene around your veneered teeth, it can lead to secondary tooth decay and other complications. 

Can You Get Veneers Without Straight Teeth?

Although the ideal option for straightening misaligned teeth is orthodontic treatment with either braces or Invisalign aligners, there are cases in which dentists can cosmetically straighten mildly misaligned teeth with veneers. However, braces and Invisalign aligners are still the choice treatment option for fixing more complex alignment problems. 

Are Veneers Good For Teeth?

Veneers are used for restoring the aesthetics, structure, and function of grossly damaged teeth. Therefore, teeth straightened or restored with veneers become structurally more robust and possess excellent aesthetics – blending in perfectly with the existing healthy teeth. So, yes, veneers are suitable for restoring damaged teeth. 

Can A Teeth Gap Be Hidden By Veneers?

Another use of dental veneers is cosmetically restoring teeth gaps. Your dentist will fix this problem by attaching slightly wider veneers that fill the teeth gap. So, the veneers basically cosmetically “mask” the cosmetic issue. If optimal treatment is sought, the gap should be closed with orthodontic treatment options like teeth braces or clear aligners. 

Can You Get Veneers For Overlapping Teeth?

As discussed earlier, the best treatment option for misaligned, gapped, or overlapping teeth is orthodontic treatment. However, some people cannot afford the treatment, while others do not like to wait for months to achieve the desired aesthetic results. In these cases, dentists suggest an alternative cosmetic option with veneers. In some instances, dentists can fix minor teeth overlapping with porcelain or composite veneers. 

How Long Do Veneers Last?

The clinical service life of dental veneers depends on various factors, including the type and quality of the used material, skills and expertise of the dentist and the laboratory staff, and, more importantly, oral hygiene maintenance. According to the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, well looked after dental veneers can last between 10 and 15 years. Generally, porcelain veneers are stronger, durable, and more stain-resistant than composite-based veneers. 

At Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic, we believe that everyone deserves to enjoy a charming and beautiful smile. That is why we offer premium cosmetic dentistry services to the residents of Solihull and surrounding areas. Whether you need implants for missing teeth, Invisalign aligners for your kid, or professional teeth whitening to get rid of your coffee or tea stains, we offer all dental services under one roof.

If you would like to consult with our dental team, you can book a consultation appointment here. Our friendly, experienced and qualified team looks forwards to serving you and helping you achieve a healthy, beautiful, and lasting smile.

Teeth Whitening For Sensitive Teeth: How to Get it Done

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Teeth whitening for sensitive teeth

A beautiful set of white teeth is something that many people desire. In fact, the global teeth whitening market is predicted to reach 7.40 billion dollars by the year 2024. However, some people are reluctant to use a teeth whitening kit because of their sensitive teeth. 

Thankfully, there’s a solution to this problem. If you’re ready to become confident in your teeth, take a look at the information below to learn more about blue light teeth whitening and more. 

Blue Light Teeth Whitening: What Is It?

Blue light teeth whitening is a popular form of whitening that’s alluring to many people. It’s a cool, advanced way of removing stains from teeth and providing a whiter smile.

A standard blue light teeth whitening kit generally works by combining the energy transferred from the blue light with peroxide. The process includes putting hydrogen peroxide solution over the teeth and then inserting a blue light mouthpiece. It’s said that adding the light significantly reduces the colour of teeth than using peroxide alone.

Blue Light Teeth Whitening Side-Effects

A blue light teeth whitening kit looks fancy, but is it safe? Well, everyone is different, and an individual with sensitivity might experience more side effects than others. The lights could cause gum irritation, burning of soft tissue, damage to the teeth, and enhanced tooth sensitivity.

But according to studies performed, blue lighting for whiter teeth doesn’t cause extensive damage to tooth enamel. It’s important to note that blue light whitening is used in dental offices and home kits. If you have sensitive teeth, it’s a good idea to get the procedure done at a dental office.

How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Teeth

Red wine is a drink that many people like to indulge in. Unfortunately, it often causes stains on the teeth. If you have significant stains from red wine, you may not correct them with a standard teeth whitening kit or a teeth whitening pen. It’s best to go to a professional and let them do a proper dental treatment. 

Luckily, there are techniques you can do to help prevent red wine stains and get rid of them after you drink. One of the most effective things you can do is brush your teeth before drinking red wine. Stuck-on food particles take on the colour of the wine. By removing them beforehand, it reduces stains.

You can also eat cheese while you drink red wine. Many people do so because the two pair well together. However, cheese also creates a waxy film on the teeth, which protects them against stains.

Also, teeth wipes are a tool that you can use while drinking to remove stains from your teeth as you sip.

Teeth Whitening Kits: Teeth Whitening Strips Reviews

Teeth whitening strips have mixed reviews. For some, they work well. But for others with severely stained teeth, teeth whitening strips are not effective.

Not only that, but at-home teeth whitening strips aren’t the best option for individuals with sensitive teeth. Instead of using a homemade treatment, let’s our professionals at Lytham Dental Clinic do it for you.

Take a look at our teeth whitening testimonials to learn more from our satisfied clients.

Teeth Whitening Procedure: Teeth Whitening Methods at the Dentist

Professional teeth whitening in the UK is performed by any dentist that’s registered with the General Dental Council. The teeth whitening process at a dental office is split into two methods:at-home and in-office.

The dentist begins by making an impression of your teeth to create a mouthguard. You’ll use your mouthguard at home in conjunction with a bleaching gel. This process generally lasts about 2 to 4 weeks. The gel is required to stay on your teeth for the amount of time specified by the dentist

In the office, the dental provider performs laser whitening. A bleaching agent is applied to the teeth and a blue light or laser is illuminated onto the teeth to activate the whitening. This process generally takes about an hour. Depending on the agreement with the dentist, you might do the bulk of your treatment at home or in the office.

What to Do for Pain After Teeth Whitening

Pain after teeth whitening treatment is normal, and it usually subsides within a few days. To ease the discomfort use a soft bristle toothbrush after your treatment. It will ensure that you don’t further irritate your teeth.

Also, it’s best to avoid hot or cold foods during this timeframe. For instance, you shouldn’t have hot soups or ice cream. Consuming these types of food can further irritate your teeth and cause more sensitivity.

If you must drink a cold beverage, drink through a straw. Doing so helps to prevent contact with your teeth.

Furthermore, over-the-counter medications are effective with relieving pain. In certain cases, your dentist may also prescribe a pain relief medication that’s more potent. Pharmacies generally have better anti-inflammatories and painkillers than what’s available over the counter.

If your pain and sensitivity continue over a few days, reach out to the dentist to see how they can help. They may alter your treatment so that the pain isn’t too severe.

Teeth Whitening for Sensitive Teeth: Professional Treatment

Are you afraid to use a teeth whitening kit because of your sensitive teeth? If so, let The Solihull Dental & Implant Clinic help you. We offer teeth whitening and have provided satisfactory results to many patients. Plus, we offer other dental health services like hygiene therapy, veneers, braces, crowns, and more.

If you’re ready to get a brighter smile, call us at 0121 705 3635

Dentists near me for nervous patients

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Dentist near me for nervous patients

Dental anxiety and fear are quite common concerns when visiting the dentist, hence the reason people search for the phrase ‘dentist near me for nervous patients’, this is quite understandable!

So, to help, we’ve researched some of the most common questions that people ask when they are nervous about visiting the dentist.

Do dentists hate to see anxious patients?

No, we don’t hate seeing anxious patients at all. We absolutely understand that it can often be quite disconcerting going to the dentist. Panic attacks and actual dental phobia unfortunately relatively rare.

What’s important is to let your dentist know that you are anxious, That way we can look for ways to help you know you are in safe hands and to help you overcome any physical symptoms of your anxiety.

The fight or flight response can be quite strong when we are put under stressful situations, communicating with us PRIOR to your appointment means we can understand what triggers any anxiety disorder and help avoid any trigger situation.

How can people overcome fear of going to the dentist?

A few simple tips are as follows:

  • Book an appointment in the morning, this will ensure you can relax for the rest of the day as your appointment will be over.
  • For regular appointments, make sure you have a good breakfast. This will set you up for the day and ensure your energy levels remain high.
  • Lay off the alcohol! Not only does it dehydrate you but it can also make you worry.
  • Bring a friend. Decide before hand on what you are going to talk about, make it subjects that relax you and keep you calm. Perhaps discuss a recent holiday, or where you are going next time.
  • Recognise that you have an inner voice talking to you (we all have this) and that this inner voice can actually be controlled.
  • Talk openly to us. We will NOT judge you or tell you off for not coming to see us… honestly
  • Agree a stop signal with us, this will ensure that (like you inner voice technique) YOU are in control

It’s an incredibly important that you to visit the dentist regularly, to keep your dental health in tiptop condition and also ensure that you have routine oral cancer checks.

Is it normal that I’m scared of dentists judging my teeth?

It is quite a common misconception that dentists will judge your teeth. We absolutely will not. Our role is to investigate and report on anything clinically that we see. If we see a problem with your teeth we will let you know, based on the clinical evidence presented before us.

NEVER will we judge your teeth or anything about you. We may give you advice to get the best dental treatment to help you, but this is always done in a non-judgemental factual way.

What are my options if I’m terrified of the dentist?

There are a few options to help with anxiety or panic disorder at the dentist, we always recommend going with the least invasive option to begin with, in ascending order these are:

  1. Talk to your dentist, be open and honest, follow our advice above and relax knowing that we have your best interests at heart.
  2. Ask your dentist for oral sedation prior to visiting, a simple tablet can help you relax.
  3. Relative analgesia could also be used, this is laughing gas, it is self-administered at the dentist and can help you relax deeply. Not all practices offer relative analgesia.
  4. Conscious sedation via intravenous injection. This is often known as twilight sedation, you will be conscious but so deeply relaxed that you will have no recollection of your treatment at all. Many patients opt for this type of sedation when having treatments such as dental implants.

Why are most little kids afraid of dentists?

The honest truth is that children learn to feel nervous! Most commonly kids learn the behaviour from parents. Modern dentistry can be made extremely comfortable for adults and children alike and people are often surprised that it is completely pain-free most of the time.

Unfortunately people don’t often realise this and accidentally pass on dental anxieties to their kids.

One of the best ways to overcome this is to bring children to the dentist at a very early age, allow them to sit on your lap in the dental chair at the beginning, progressing to them sitting alone on the chair and just enjoying the ride as it goes up and down. As they progress into toddlers we can then begin to look in their mouth in a very gentle way.

How many adults have fears of going to the dentist?

In the United States up to 75% of people have some form of dental anxiety, according to the Journal of The American Dental Association. In addition to this approximately 20% of those people have a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder or phobia.

Oddly, in the UK these figures seem to be much lower:

  • One in every seven adults who has ever been to a dentist suffers from extreme dental anxiety
  • The most common fears for visiting a dentist are having a tooth drilled (30%) and having a local anaesthetic injection (28%)
  • Visiting the Dentist is ranked number one (22%) for making people nervous, closely followed by heights (19%). Nearly 10 times as many people (22%) are nervous of visiting their dentists, compared to their doctor (2%)

Figures quoted via The British Dental Association.

How to repair a chipped or broken tooth

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Chipped teeth are quite common so our Solihull dentist Dr Zubair Sacranie decided to write a blog post dedicated to chip teeth and looking at how to repair them.

Causes of a chipped tooth

Chipped or broken tooth can happen for many reasons, trauma is the most common but also malocclusion can cause teeth to chip or break.

Chipped tooth repair

It’s actually quite easy to prepare a small chip in a tooth. Your dentist will probably use a technique called bonding. Bonding involves cleaning out any discoloured or decayed area around the chip, preparing the surface of the tooth with a special etching gel and then applying a tooth coloured resin directly to the tooth.Chipped front tooth

With many colours and translucency of resin to choose from this is a highly skilled procedure to ensure that the chipped tooth repair is invisible.

Whilst there are a few home kits available to repair chipped teeth in this way they very often have limited range of colours and don’t have the necessary tools, equipment or materials in order to prepare the tooth adequately for bonding meaning home repairs can often not look quite as good and may not last as long.

Chipped teeth are not usually painful as it is normally only the hard outer layer (enamel) that chips.

Broken tooth repair

If the tooth has a large section broken off then this may be too large to repair with bonding. A large broken area of the tooth can also be painful if the break is close to the pulp.

Normally the best way to repair a larger broken tooth like this is to opt for dental veneer or possibly a dental crown. A dental veneer is bonded to the remaining portion of the tooth and will simply replace the broken section. A dental crown would be used if the brake is particularly severe.

Whilst the veneer or crown is being made your dentist will usually place a temporary filling to avoid any sensitivity or pain.

Broken or cracked molar

Broken cracked back teeth are far more likely to need a full dental Crown to repair them. A dental Crown covers the full circumference and amount of the tooth, leaving no natural tooth exposed. These types of crowns are stronger and dental veneers and can withstand the biting forces exerted upon them in the back teeth.

Broken tooth pain

Broken tooth pain comes when the chip or break is very close to the underlying nerve of the tooth. In the short term you may like to try over-the-counter painkillers but in the long-term, if you have a broken tooth and there is pain, this indicates that you need to see a dentist as the break is very close to the nerve.

Chipped tooth at gum line

If you have chips on the tooth at the gum line this can be an indicator that either your bite has some form of malocclusion annual biting down excessively hard on one area, or that you may be brushing slightly too hard in one area of the tooth, causing it to wear away.

Your dentist will be able to assess your biting forces or teeth cleaning habits and let you know which one of these causes is most likely for you. Once the cause has been established action can then be taken.

Why Are Dental Implants so Expensive?

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The cost of dental implants is something  about which we are very frequently asked at our dental practice in Solihull. Dental implants often run into the thousands of pounds but why is this? In this blog post we will look at how dental implants can be made more affordable and what the components are which make up the cost of dental implants.

What makes up the cost of dental implants?

If you had to replace a missing tooth a dental implant is often considered the most viable solution, but what makes up the cost of the entire dental implant?

The cost of dental implant is made up of the following:

  • The planning stages.
  • The dental implant surgery to place the implant itself.
  • The restoration of the crown (the part of the tooth which you see) on top of the dental implant.
  • The dental implant components themselves.
  • The time of the dentist, implant surgeon and dental technician.

Let’s look at each of these in turn

The planning stages.

When you first coming to the dental practice with missing teeth you will have an initial consultation with the dentist who will discuss your options, (We offer a free dental implant consultation) typically your options would be to:

  1. Do nothing.
  2. Have a denture.
  3. Have a bridge.
  4. Replace the tooth with a dental implant.

At this initial consultation you should be provided with a full treatment plan including all of your options which also lays out the cost of dental implants.

For the purposes of this blog post, we are going to assume that the best clinical option for you is to have a tooth replaced with a dental implant. Once this decision has been made the dentist will begin the planning stages. This could include CT scans, x-rays and impressions of your jaw which can then be replicated in plaster.

 

Working with the scans and plaster models the dentist, surgeon and technician  can work out the best type of implant (length, width, style, brand) and plan the surgical stage.

As part of this planning they will also work out the best type/style of restoration to have on top of the dental implant. The planning stages can often take a few weeks to collate all of the information. Your dentist, technician and dental implant surgeon may then spend a few hours discussing your case and working out the best solution.

Once the planning stages have been undertaken you can progress with the surgery itself.

Free guide available for immediate download…

“What Everyone Should Know about Replacing Missing Teeth
BEFORE Starting Treatment”

 

Dr Sacranie Dental Implant ExpertA special report by Dr Zubair Sacranie revealing what everyone should know about replacing missing teeth.

  • Are you a candidate for dental implants?
  • What happens if you don’t replace missing teeth?
  • Will you really need to wear dentures?
  • How much will treatment cost?
  • How long will it take?
  • What are the downsides?
  • Will it hurt?

Take your first step to replacing missing teeth and download my free guide today.

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The dental implant surgery to place the implant itself.

implant-placement

With all of the planning complete you can progress to having your dental implant procedure. Sometimes the dentist themselves will place a dental implant or they may refer to another dentist who is a specialist or has a special interest in dental implant placement.

The surgery is usually performed under local anaesthetic but if you are particularly anxious it is often possible to arrange some form of dental sedation so that you are less aware of the procedure. It’s worth bearing in mind, however that dental sedation will often add to the price, particularly if intravenous sedation is used as an anaesthetist will often be present.

After the implant has been placed you move onto a healing phase, during this time you will often be provided with a temporary restoration, this may be in the form of a removable bridge.

The restoration of the Crown (the part of the tooth which you see) on top of the dental implant.

Dental implant Compared to tooth rootOnce the healing phase is complete and the dental implant has fully integrated into your jaw then you can move on to having a dental crown fitted on top.  You may have a visit by the dental technician to take a detailed analysis of the colour of the surrounding teeth in order to match the new tooth in perfectly. If you are having multiple teeth replaced then you have a slightly freer rein  as to the colour that you would like your new teeth to be.

The dental technician will then proceed to manufacture  the dental crown, this may be out of a zirconia material (zirconium oxide) this is one of the most abundant minerals known to man but needs to be highly processed in order to make it suitable for use within the human body.

The dental implant components themselves.

a cross-section through a dental implant

a cross-section through a dental implant

When you have a dental implant placed there is the cost of the titanium implant which is placed into your jaw. This is a precision made piece of engineering which is manufactured  down to Micron accuracy (thousandths of a millimetre).

There will also be an abutment which joins the dental implant onto the crown on top. This abutment will probably have a precision made gold screw, the screws are usually made out of gold as they are a slightly softer metal. When the screw is tightened the softer gold screw has some give, this allows the screw to be tightened more tightly but also means that in the event of excessive force being applied the dental implant itself will not break.

The screw becomes a failsafe in the system, it is far better for the screw to break (a relatively low cost component) than it is for the dental implant to file  all the crown on top to break.

The time of the dentist, implant surgeon and dental technician.

Whilst it is extremely difficult to say exactly how long or how many hours each professional will spend on your case it is estimated to be in the many tens of hours.

By the time your dentist, technician and surgeon have been through the diagnostic, treatment, healing, restoration and post-treatment follow-up stages  they will have spent many hours working exclusively  on your case..

How much do dental implants cost?

In order to make this more understandable most dental practices do not quote for each individual stage, they simply place all of the stages and associated fees into one cost. At our dental practice in Solihull, dental implants start at £1995.

We also offer 15% discount to any patients on our Denplan practice scheme,  further details of the Denplan scheme can be found here.

If one considers the lifetime value of this then dental implants are often the most cost-effective option. Implants should last many years providing high-quality dentistry, allowing you to smile eat and chew again with confidence. Who can put a price on that?

Consequences of Lifestyle On Perceived Facial Age

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It has long been known and understood that your lifestyle can have a dramatic impact on your risk of age-related diseases. However, there has been less information available looking at the link between lifestyle and facial ageing… Until now.

A recent study [Gunn, Dick & van Heemst 2015] that was published in the British Journal of Dermatologists looks at the links between various factors and perceived facial age, specifically, they looked at skin going red in the sun, sun bed use, wearing false teeth, not flossing between teeth, few remaining teeth, body mass index (BMI) and irregular skin moisturisation.
The research consisted of data from two cross-sectional studies of 318 Dutch men and 329 women aged between 45 and 75, they also studied 162 Englishwomen in the same age range.

Results for men

In Dutch men, smoking, having skin that went red in the sun, being outside in the sun most of the summer, sunbed use, wearing false teeth and not flossing were all significantly associated with a total of 9.3 years higher perceived facial age.

Results for women

In Dutch women, smoking, sunbathing, sunbed use, few remaining teeth and a low body mass index (BMI) were associated with a total of 10.9 years higher perceived facial age.
In English women, cleaning teeth only once a day, wearing false teeth, irregular skin moisturisation and having skin that went red in the sun were associated with a total 9.1 years higher perceived facial age.

Interestingly, smoking and sunbed use were associated more strongly with aging in women than in men.

Although associative in nature the results of this study support the notion that lifestyle factors can have long-term beneficial effects on your youthful looks.

Facial age

What can you do to lower your perceived facial age?

The first thing to consider is how you can prevent your face from prematurely ageing.

Prevention

It would seem from the studies that regular skincare in both the forms of avoiding excessive sun and regularly using moisturiser is a good place to start.

The other thing that the study mentions this looking after your teeth. it certainly seems that for men, wearing false teeth and not flossing are significantly associated with higher perceived facial age.

With women, cleaning teeth only once a day and wearing false teeth increases perceived age, therefore looking after your teeth by cleaning them adequately is a pre-requisite for keeping them healthy for life.

perceived facial age

Restoration

Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan, here are a few ways you may be able to restore your perceived facial age.

  1. If you are missing tooth and want to replace them, consider dental bridges or dental implants.
  2. If you have false teeth then consider dental implants as a viable alternative.
  3. If you have excessive winkles and/or lines then consider anti-wrinkle injections or fillers.

Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic  on the outskirts of Birmingham have experience in restoring the signs of facial ageing using a combination of dentistry and facial rejuvenation techniques.

Book your appointment today.

References
Gunn DA, Dick, van Heemst et al ‘Lifestyle and youthful looks’. D Br J Dermatol. 2015;172(5):1338-45. doi: 10.1111/bjd.13646. Epub 2015 Apr 15.

TEETH CLEANING, everything you need to know

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In this blog post we will be taking a look at everything you need to know about keeping your teeth clean and healthy for life. People in Solihull are often looking for ways to reduce the cost and time of visiting the dentist, one of the best ways to do this is to keep your teeth fit and healthy.

A healthy smile means your dental fees will be smaller, you spend less time at the dentist and can smile with absolute confidence.

How to clean teeth properly

In order to keep your teeth fit and healthy for life you must adopt an efficient and effective system for cleaning your teeth. Here’s what we recommend:

  1. Wait 20 min after eating before brushing your teeth, this gives your enamel time to harden again after that acid attack of eating.
  2. Use a pea sized amount of toothpaste
  3. Hold your brush at an angle
  4. Brush all of your teeth from front to back, the top and the bottom, remember to brush your tongue.
  5. Brush up and down and round and round.
  6. Try to keep the toothpaste in your mouth without rinsing, this leaves the maximum amount of fluoride in contact with your teeth for the longest period of time.
  7. Once a day use an interdental brush or floss to clean in between your teeth, this does not have to be at the same time as you clean your teeth.
  8. Once or twice a day rinse your mouth out with a fluoride mouthwash, typically a good time to do this is just after the meal. Avoid using mouthwash after cleaning your teeth, toothpaste has a higher percentage of fluoride than mouthwash does, if you rinse with mouthwash after cleaning then you actually reduce the amount of fluoride in contact with your teeth.

fluoride in toothpaste versus mouthwash

Cleaning teeth with an electric toothbrush

Whilst it is not 100% necessary to use an electric toothbrush most dentists recommend them. Modern electric toothbrushes offer a few advantages:

  1. an audible timer to ensure that you clean your teeth for the correct length of time
  2. a pressure sensor to ensure you do not press too hard and damage the sensitive gums
  3. an oscillating brush head to get into all of the tiny gaps

The combination of all of these features means that an electric toothbrush tends to be more efficient at cleaning your teeth.

You may also find with a manual toothbrush that you tend to press on some areas of your teeth harder than others. This can often lead to receding gums in this area, an electric toothbrush tends to be easier to clean with the same amount of pressure over your entire row.

How to clean teeth plaque at home

gingivitis

Plaque buildup on your teeth due to something known as biofilm. This biofilm is a sticky thin layer over your teeth. It is made up of bacteria which feed on the sugar in your diet.

Sometimes this biofilm builds up in difficult to reach areas, such as in between your teeth or on the tongue side of your teeth. As the biofilm gets thicker and thicker it turns into plaque, a hard substance which adheres to your teeth.

The plaque means that the acid excreting bacteria are in constant contact with your teeth, as they excrete acid whilst they feed on the sugar in your diet this can attack your teeth causing dental decay.

For this reason it is important to keep plaque to the absolute minimum.

The best way to do this is to follow a good oral hygiene routine, please see our previous section on how to clean teeth properly.

If the plaque build up significantly then you will need to see a dental hygienist who can remove it using an ultrasonic scaling device.

Plaque is extremely difficult to remove at home because it is so hard and stuck your teeth.

How to clean teeth with braces

Image courtesy of Cuteimage at freedigitalphotos.net

Image courtesy of Cuteimage at freedigitalphotos.net

If you have dental braces it is just as important to keep your teeth clean as it is without braces. When you have the braces removed you want to be able to show off your brand-new smile!

Plaque can build up very quickly around braces so it really is important that you have a good oral hygiene routine whilst wearing them.

An electric toothbrush will help enormously if you have fixed orthodontics, using interdental brushes will also be important as you will probably not be able to get floss in between your teeth due to the arch wires.

Here are our top tips for cleaning teeth with braces:

  • follow the advice in our previous section on how to clean teeth properly, plus…
  • Use a mirror every time you clean your teeth, this can be really helpful to ensure you have cleaned all the way around your braces
  • ask your orthodontist for some special brushes which allow you to clean in difficult to reach areas, round ended bristle brushes seem to work best.

After brushing your braces should look clean and shiny and you should be able to see the edges of the brackets. Ensure you rinse with a good quality fluoride mouthwash at least once per day.

How to clean teeth stains at home

As with almost all of our advice we recommend avoiding getting teeth stains in the first place by maintaining a good oral health routine. If you find that your teeth stain then this may be because you have plaque which has built up, keeping this plaque to a minimum will help keep your teeth looking bright.

The best way to keep your teeth clean and free from stains at home is to visit the hygienist first, have a professional clean and polish and then follow our steps listed previously. This will allow your teeth to be cleaned to their maximum brightness, all you need to do after is to maintain them at home.

Some advice on cleaning teeth stains at home:

  1. try using a whitening tooth paste
  2. try using a whitening mouthwash

Your gums are very sensitive we therefore do not recommend you try any other stain removal technique at home.

Oral hygienists

A dental/oral hygienist is an important part of the dental team and could help you save lots of money at the dentist. Hygienists are specially trained to be dental health educators, helping you look after your teeth and carrying out deep cleaning which is not possible at home.

Your hygienist will also typically score your dental health on a scale from 0 to 4, this is known as a basic periodontal examination (BPE). Each tooth is rated on this scale which allows you to track your dental health across each visit. The hygienist will use a probe around each tooth to determine pocket depth around each tooth.

Scoring is typically

  • 0 No pockets >3.5 mm, no calculus/overhangs, no bleeding after probing
  • 1 No pockets >3.5 mm, no calculus/overhangs, but bleeding after probing
  • 2 No pockets >3.5 mm, but calculus/overhangs
  • 3 Probing depth 3.5-5.5 mm (indicating pocket of 4-5 mm)
  • 4 Probing depth >5.5 mm (indicating pocket of 6 mm or more) fifth

How much do oral hygienists cost?

Visits to the dentist are normally more expensive than visits to the oral hygienist, at our practice a oral hygiene program appointment costs from £39.

Teeth cleaning appointments

Teeth cleaning/oral hygiene appointments are best made at the same time as you visit your dentist. Typically a patient will visit the hygienist for 30 min and then go on to have a routine dental health check with the dentist for 30 min afterwards.

This makes best use of your time and is the most convenient way to make an appointment to have your teeth cleaned.

Our practice also offers Denplan Essentials, this includes:

  1. Routine care from your dentist including dental check-ups
  2. Dental x-rays
  3. Hygiene treatment.
  4. Discounts on Restorative care.

Denplan Essentials is available from approximately £13 per month, this would include two checkups, x-rays and to hygiene visits per year, this ensures that you have regular access to teeth cleaning appointments with the most affordable payment method.