Frequently Asked Questions |
Oral Care & General Dentistry.
“How often should I have my teeth cleaned?”
People accumulate plaque at different rates. Although most insurance plan coverage is for a twice a year schedule, it’s sensible to get your teeth professionally cleaned as often as your dental health professional advises you, even if it’s every 3 months.
“What can I do about bad breath?”
Proper brushing and flossing normally reduces the bacteria that causes bad breath. An addition to effective oral hygiene has been tongue cleaning. Since research shows that 85% of bad breath can be controlled by removing bacteria that colonizes on the back of the tongue, it’s a good idea to use a tongue cleaner at least once a day.
“How many times should I floss my teeth?”
At least once a day. There’s an old adage among dentists: “Floss only the teeth you want to keep.” If you don’t want to lose your teeth, floss every day. Otherwise, you’ll be 75% more susceptible to periodontal disease that has been documented to have serious health association, e.g. a higher likelihood of heart disease.
“What is tartar and how can I control it?”
In most cases, tartar is “hardened plaque” that has been left undisturbed. It’s a yellow, solidified layer at the gum line made up of mineral and fossilised bacteria.
It can only be removed safely with a dental scaling instrument during hygiene cleanings. The best way to control tartar is to brush and floss every day.
“What is ‘plaque’ and how does it affect my teeth?”
Plaque is a sticky, colourless film of bacteria and sugars that constantly forms on our teeth. It is the main cause of cavities and gum disease, and can harden into tartar if not removed daily.
Plaque causes cavities when the acids from plaque attack teeth after eating. With repeated acid attacks, the tooth enamel can break down and a cavity may form.
Plaque that is not removed can also irritate the gums around your teeth, leading to gingivitis (red, swollen, bleeding gums), periodontal disease and tooth loss.
How Can I Prevent Plaque Build-up?
It's easy to prevent plaque build-up with proper care. Make sure to:
“My gums bleed when I brush or floss. Is this normal?”
Healthy gum doesn’t bleed.
This is most likely a sign of gingivitis; the biggest cause of bleeding gums is plaque build-up along the gum-line. When plaque is not removed in a timely manner, it hardens into tartar, a calcified material that more plaque would adhere to, and continues to irritate the gums. Gingivitis if goes unchecked often progresses into more advanced forms of gum disease. The best way to reduce plaque build-up and your risk for bleeding gums is to amp up your oral care routine.
Remember to brush twice a day using fluoride toothpaste. Floss at least once a day as well; gums can sometimes stop bleeding with regular flossing. And of course, seeing your dentist on a regular basis – not just when you have a problem or concern – is also a must to keep your mouth in the best shape.
“If I require fillings, what type should I get?”
Tooth-coloured composite materials that are strong and extremely wear resistant are the material of choice. You can even give your teeth a “face lift” by replacing your old metal fillings with the “invisible” composite ones.
“Why should I spend a lot of money on a root canal? Why not just pull the tooth?”
Losing a tooth can be the beginning of many more lost teeth. Saving the tooth maintains space, keeps other teeth from shifting, spreads the load and eliminates the need and cost of a bridge or implant and crown. Although seemingly expensive, it is in effect more cost effective in the long run.
Cosmetic Dentistry.
"Do Supermarket or Chemist bleaching kits work?"
Off the shelf bleaching kits usually come with
1. A one-size-fits all tray which doesn’t hold the bleach in place; the bleaching solution is either diluted by saliva or swallowed before it can make a difference. It often gives an uneven result at best.
2. A weaker concentration solution, which is much weaker than what you get from a dentist. These products take longer to work, and the results will be very much less dramatic.
“What’s the difference between dental bonding and porcelain veneers?”
Dental bonding is a tooth coloured (composite) resin material that is light activated and done in one visit with little or no tooth reduction, and no injection required.
Porcelain veneers can mask dark stains better, and they are more durable and sleeker. They are very thin veneers of porcelain that are bonded to your teeth.
Porcelain laminate/veneers are stronger than dental bonding and less prone to staining.
Dental tooth bonding is a quick and painless way to fix cracks and chips in teeth. Tooth bonding is also an excellent way to re-shape teeth that are too small or out of alignment. The composite tooth bonding material can also be used to fill cavities in place of silver amalgam fillings. Dental bonding uses a composite material that is colour matched to your natural teeth to fix imperfections and fill gaps.
Dental bonding is virtually pain free and is also beneficial in that is leaves as much of your natural tooth intact as possible. Once a proper tooth bonding resin colour is selected, the tooth is prepared for the dental bonding.
Almost instantly, dental tooth bonding can hide many types of imperfections!
“I have a space between my two front teeth. How can it be closed?”
There are several ways in which this can be corrected:
1. Dental bonding (one visit); will correct discoloration and shape of teeth.
2. Porcelain veneers (two to three visits); will correct discoloration and shape of teeth.
3. Orthodontics; requires multiple visits and cannot correct colour or shape of teeth.
People accumulate plaque at different rates. Although most insurance plan coverage is for a twice a year schedule, it’s sensible to get your teeth professionally cleaned as often as your dental health professional advises you, even if it’s every 3 months.
“What can I do about bad breath?”
Proper brushing and flossing normally reduces the bacteria that causes bad breath. An addition to effective oral hygiene has been tongue cleaning. Since research shows that 85% of bad breath can be controlled by removing bacteria that colonizes on the back of the tongue, it’s a good idea to use a tongue cleaner at least once a day.
“How many times should I floss my teeth?”
At least once a day. There’s an old adage among dentists: “Floss only the teeth you want to keep.” If you don’t want to lose your teeth, floss every day. Otherwise, you’ll be 75% more susceptible to periodontal disease that has been documented to have serious health association, e.g. a higher likelihood of heart disease.
“What is tartar and how can I control it?”
In most cases, tartar is “hardened plaque” that has been left undisturbed. It’s a yellow, solidified layer at the gum line made up of mineral and fossilised bacteria.
It can only be removed safely with a dental scaling instrument during hygiene cleanings. The best way to control tartar is to brush and floss every day.
“What is ‘plaque’ and how does it affect my teeth?”
Plaque is a sticky, colourless film of bacteria and sugars that constantly forms on our teeth. It is the main cause of cavities and gum disease, and can harden into tartar if not removed daily.
Plaque causes cavities when the acids from plaque attack teeth after eating. With repeated acid attacks, the tooth enamel can break down and a cavity may form.
Plaque that is not removed can also irritate the gums around your teeth, leading to gingivitis (red, swollen, bleeding gums), periodontal disease and tooth loss.
How Can I Prevent Plaque Build-up?
It's easy to prevent plaque build-up with proper care. Make sure to:
- Brush thoroughly at least twice a day to remove plaque from all surfaces of your teeth
- Floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth and under your gum-line, where your toothbrush may not reach
- Limit sugary or starchy foods, especially sticky snacks
- Schedule regular dental visits for professional cleanings and dental examinations to identify and intervene diseases at its early stage.
“My gums bleed when I brush or floss. Is this normal?”
Healthy gum doesn’t bleed.
This is most likely a sign of gingivitis; the biggest cause of bleeding gums is plaque build-up along the gum-line. When plaque is not removed in a timely manner, it hardens into tartar, a calcified material that more plaque would adhere to, and continues to irritate the gums. Gingivitis if goes unchecked often progresses into more advanced forms of gum disease. The best way to reduce plaque build-up and your risk for bleeding gums is to amp up your oral care routine.
Remember to brush twice a day using fluoride toothpaste. Floss at least once a day as well; gums can sometimes stop bleeding with regular flossing. And of course, seeing your dentist on a regular basis – not just when you have a problem or concern – is also a must to keep your mouth in the best shape.
“If I require fillings, what type should I get?”
Tooth-coloured composite materials that are strong and extremely wear resistant are the material of choice. You can even give your teeth a “face lift” by replacing your old metal fillings with the “invisible” composite ones.
“Why should I spend a lot of money on a root canal? Why not just pull the tooth?”
Losing a tooth can be the beginning of many more lost teeth. Saving the tooth maintains space, keeps other teeth from shifting, spreads the load and eliminates the need and cost of a bridge or implant and crown. Although seemingly expensive, it is in effect more cost effective in the long run.
Cosmetic Dentistry.
"Do Supermarket or Chemist bleaching kits work?"
Off the shelf bleaching kits usually come with
1. A one-size-fits all tray which doesn’t hold the bleach in place; the bleaching solution is either diluted by saliva or swallowed before it can make a difference. It often gives an uneven result at best.
2. A weaker concentration solution, which is much weaker than what you get from a dentist. These products take longer to work, and the results will be very much less dramatic.
“What’s the difference between dental bonding and porcelain veneers?”
Dental bonding is a tooth coloured (composite) resin material that is light activated and done in one visit with little or no tooth reduction, and no injection required.
Porcelain veneers can mask dark stains better, and they are more durable and sleeker. They are very thin veneers of porcelain that are bonded to your teeth.
Porcelain laminate/veneers are stronger than dental bonding and less prone to staining.
Dental tooth bonding is a quick and painless way to fix cracks and chips in teeth. Tooth bonding is also an excellent way to re-shape teeth that are too small or out of alignment. The composite tooth bonding material can also be used to fill cavities in place of silver amalgam fillings. Dental bonding uses a composite material that is colour matched to your natural teeth to fix imperfections and fill gaps.
Dental bonding is virtually pain free and is also beneficial in that is leaves as much of your natural tooth intact as possible. Once a proper tooth bonding resin colour is selected, the tooth is prepared for the dental bonding.
Almost instantly, dental tooth bonding can hide many types of imperfections!
“I have a space between my two front teeth. How can it be closed?”
There are several ways in which this can be corrected:
1. Dental bonding (one visit); will correct discoloration and shape of teeth.
2. Porcelain veneers (two to three visits); will correct discoloration and shape of teeth.
3. Orthodontics; requires multiple visits and cannot correct colour or shape of teeth.