Prevention
Prevention is Better than Cure
Our mission at Huntingdon Dental Care is to inform and encourage all our patients to look after their teeth because we know healthy teeth and gums are a vital part of our wellbeing.
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy and disease-free has real benefits for your quality of life. Medical studies have found an association between oral health diseases and several serious health conditions, including heart disease.
Gum Disease
A common oral disease is gingivitis, an inflammation of the gum tissue caused by plaque. Gingivitis is reversible- meaning when the plaque and calculus are removed and patient maintains their oral hygiene the gums will heal and become healthy again. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease, which affects the tissue supporting the teeth. Periodontitis is an inflammatory infection that involves progressive bone loss around the teeth and can eventually lead to the loss of affected teeth. Periodontitis is not reversible and bone cannot grow back once lost.
- Our aim in treating gum disease is halt the destructive process and to prevent any further bone loss/ periodontal support loss, achieve a stable gum status with no bleeding when brushing, and prevent further pain / infections.
- Treatment involves having regular dental checkup with the dentist, and visiting the dental hygienist regularly for deep cleaning. Not to mention maintaining good oral hygiene at home continuously and between visits.
Decay
Decay is the process by which the teeth break down and form cavities. The main cause of dental decay is sugar so cutting down on sugar in your diet is a great preventative measure. To help strengthen the tooth surface and make it less vulnerable to decay use fluoride toothpaste and avoid rinsing your mouth after brushing. This should be at the beginning of the day and last thing at night before bed.
In Huntingdon Dental Care we may ask you to complete a diet diary to analyze the cause and prescribe you high fluoride toothpaste if we find that you are more susceptible to dental decay.
Toothwear
Is the process via which tooth enamel is worn off exposing the softer dentine. It can lead to sensitivity to hot and cold, reduced tooth height, unattractive appearance and in severe cases tooth loss due to inflammation and infection caused by extensive toothwear.
There are many causes such as dietary factors, unfavorable bite, aggressive tooth brushing and night grinding.
- Treatment will depend on the cause and degree of toothwear present. It could include a simple custom-made night-guard to prevent grinding while asleep, composite bonding to replace lost tooth tissue, or more advanced composite veneers, crowns and full mouth treatment.
- At Huntingdon dental care, we aim to diagnose the causes of toothwear and provide the ideal treatment for the individual need.
For further information on any of these services or to book an appointment, contact us on 01480 453215.
