SMILE… it’s our ultimate dental guide
At what age should we start brushing our teeth?
From the moment we develop them. Children should have their teeth cleaned by their parents as often as possible. It’s difficult to do, twice a day, every day, but brush them as often as you can – once a day at least.
Which mouthwash should we use?
There are three different types of mouthwash: fluoride mouthwash, which is very important for people who are at high risk of decay; mouthwashes for gum disease, which contain a substance called chlorhexidine, and cosmetic mouthwashes that just freshen the breath and have a mild antibacterial effect.
Is there an alternative to bleaching for older teeth?
It depends on what the patient’s chief complaint is, but bleaching is usually the easiest and most nonabrasive way to do it.
How does bleaching actually work?
The same way that Vanish works on your clothes or your carpet – it is peroxide. Once applied to your teeth, it reacts with anything that’s coloured, and makes it white. It’s very simple. It infuses all the way through the teeth gradually. If I’ve whitened the insides of my teeth for four weeks, it is likely to last a very long time. But it’s important to realise that teeth naturally darken with age. As we get older, our teeth get thicker from the inside, so they absorb more light and appear darker over time.
Does bleaching damage the tooth enamel?
Studies show that bleaching does not thin the enamel. But it can prime it a little bit, making it susceptible to rapid staining. If you don’t drink lots of coffee and red wine, whitening will probably last for a lot longer.
Whitening toothpaste – does it really work?
Whitening toothpaste has a mild abrasive in it, the best one being baking powder. In fact, if you put a little baking powder on your toothbrush and mix it with your toothpaste, you will get the same effect. Some whitening toothpastes are well engineered – they’ve got tiny crystals that will scrub the tooth, taking off the surface. But whitening toothpaste does not work in the same way that a whitening gel does – it’s only scrubbing the surface.
What are the most common dental health problems you see?
It differs according to which part of the country you’re in. In some areas, it’s going to be children with a lot of decay; in others it’s going to be adults with lots of missing teeth. In London, I see a lot of people who want to gain greater self-confidence by improving their smile, either by whitening or sometimes veneers, although the latter is less common. Six Month Smiles, a new, cheaper method for teeth straightening, is also gaining popularity.
Veneers and crowns: what is the difference?
Crowns are slightly out of date fo cosmetic purposes, as you’ve got to shave the tooth down to make it small enough for the new cover. If a tooth is broken, however, and a lot of it is already gone, then a crown is ideal, because you make a brand-new shell for the tooth, which holds it together and allows you to carry on eating.
A veneer is a bit like a crown, but you only shave a millimetre off the front of the tooth so you can apply it. The veneer is made of porcelain, is glued on to the tooth and lasts 10 to 15 years.
If a veneer or crown comes off, breaks or chips, or the tooth dies due to nerve damage, you’ll have to get it done again.
Why are these so expensive?
They’re time-consuming. On top of that, it’s not just the dentist involved, it’s the nurse, the receptionist – they’re all devoting their undivided attention to one person. That’s why dentistry is very expensive.
In addition, there are the laboratory fees and laboratory technicians (who train from three to five years) who have to custom-fabricate a new tooth. If you are doing a crown on a front tooth, you want it to look good, you want the colour to match. The technician has to ensure that the tooth looks exactly like the one next to it.
Is a root canal painful?
Root-canal treatment is well known – and well feared. But it’s not necessarily painful. It usually gets people out of pain, or relieves them of infection. It’s a little bit of pain for a lot of relief.
Are cloves used in dentistry?
Cloves are a wonderful, natural painkiller and I regularly use a dressing with clove oil after taking teeth out. Occasionally we use it for toothache too.
Does naturally darker enamel signify stronger teeth?
Yes and no. A naturally darker tooth often has a thicker layer of enamel. And a denser core, which is called dentine.
The dentine, if it is dense, and hasn’t got lots of pores in it, will be darker because it absorbs more light. Enamel too, if it’s denser or thicker, will absorb more light.
When you’re young, really white teeth can indicate good dental health. But you shouldn’t worry if teeth look darker as you age, because that’s usually a sign that they’re denser and stronger. The enamel may get thinner, though, because of natural wear and tear.
Do you have to care for milk teeth and adult teeth differently?
Over time, adults get a lot more gum disease and decay. Children don’t get much gum disease, but decay can kill their teeth rapidly. This is because the core of the baby tooth isn’t as dense as an adult tooth – the dentine isn’t as thick.
Is it best to remove wisdom teeth?
There are national guidelines on this. If a wisdom tooth is coming through and there’s no room for it, it can’t sit straight and the gum doesn’t completely cover it. This will often cause food and plaque bacteria to get trapped, which can lead to bad breath and infections.
When we start seeing wisdom teeth coming through, we keep a close eye on them, and if they show signs of infection, we advise that they are extracted.
How long does it take for wisdom teeth to come through?
It takes anything from six months to a year. But often they don’t come through to the normal bite level. Keeping a close eye on them is a good idea.
1 Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean electric toothbrush, £34.99, Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk
2 Oral-B Professional Care 1000 electric toothbrush, £59.99, Sainsbury’s: 0800- 328 1700, www.sainsburys.com
3 Phillips Sonicare FlexCare HX6902 electric toothbrush, £159.99, Boots: 0845-609 0055, www.boots.com
Manual tooth brushes
1 Colgate Zig Zag Plus toothbrush, £1.70, Ocado: 0845-399 1122, www.ocado.com
2 Oral-B Indicator 35 Medium toothbrush, £2.10, Boots: as before
3 Colgate Max White One Sonic toothbrush, £6.12, Sainsbury’s: as before
Children ’s tooth brushes
1 Aquafresh Toothbrush Little Teeth, £1.20, Waitrose: 0800- 188884, www.waitrose.com
2 Oral-B Vitality Kids Cars electric toothbrush, £23.29, John Lewis: 0845- 604 9049, www.johnlewis.com
3 Boots Smile Kids toothbrush, £1.09, Boots: as before
3 of the best…
Toothpastes
1 Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening toothpaste, £4.20, Superdrug: 0845- 671 0709, www. superdrug.com
2 Colgate Total Advanced Whitening toothpaste, £2.99, Waitrose: 0800- 188884, www. waitrose.com
3 Janina Ultrawhite Extra Strength toothpaste, £11.20, Boots: as before
Mouthwashes
1 Oral-B Multi- Protection mouthwash, £2.65, Boots: as before
2 Listerine Total Care mouthwash, £4.60, Superdrug: as before
3 CB12 Mint- Menthol mouthwash, £14.59, Boots: as before
Six Month Smiles
A revolutionary brace, Six Month Smiles, offers all the advantages of the traditional brace but employs clear brackets and toothcoloured wires, which makes it a more appealing proposition than the traditional knot of wire. It has been popular among celebrities, including Tom Cruise and Holly Willoughby, who have both used the new system. Six Month Smiles is set to be the remedy for adults wanting to correct and straighten their front teeth within a short time frame in the most discreet manner.
From the moment we develop them. Children should have their teeth cleaned by their parents as often as possible. It’s difficult to do, twice a day, every day, but brush them as often as you can – once a day at least.
Which mouthwash should we use?
There are three different types of mouthwash: fluoride mouthwash, which is very important for people who are at high risk of decay; mouthwashes for gum disease, which contain a substance called chlorhexidine, and cosmetic mouthwashes that just freshen the breath and have a mild antibacterial effect.
Is there an alternative to bleaching for older teeth?
It depends on what the patient’s chief complaint is, but bleaching is usually the easiest and most nonabrasive way to do it.
How does bleaching actually work?
The same way that Vanish works on your clothes or your carpet – it is peroxide. Once applied to your teeth, it reacts with anything that’s coloured, and makes it white. It’s very simple. It infuses all the way through the teeth gradually. If I’ve whitened the insides of my teeth for four weeks, it is likely to last a very long time. But it’s important to realise that teeth naturally darken with age. As we get older, our teeth get thicker from the inside, so they absorb more light and appear darker over time.
Does bleaching damage the tooth enamel?
Studies show that bleaching does not thin the enamel. But it can prime it a little bit, making it susceptible to rapid staining. If you don’t drink lots of coffee and red wine, whitening will probably last for a lot longer.
Whitening toothpaste – does it really work?
Whitening toothpaste has a mild abrasive in it, the best one being baking powder. In fact, if you put a little baking powder on your toothbrush and mix it with your toothpaste, you will get the same effect. Some whitening toothpastes are well engineered – they’ve got tiny crystals that will scrub the tooth, taking off the surface. But whitening toothpaste does not work in the same way that a whitening gel does – it’s only scrubbing the surface.
What are the most common dental health problems you see?
It differs according to which part of the country you’re in. In some areas, it’s going to be children with a lot of decay; in others it’s going to be adults with lots of missing teeth. In London, I see a lot of people who want to gain greater self-confidence by improving their smile, either by whitening or sometimes veneers, although the latter is less common. Six Month Smiles, a new, cheaper method for teeth straightening, is also gaining popularity.
Veneers and crowns: what is the difference?
Crowns are slightly out of date fo cosmetic purposes, as you’ve got to shave the tooth down to make it small enough for the new cover. If a tooth is broken, however, and a lot of it is already gone, then a crown is ideal, because you make a brand-new shell for the tooth, which holds it together and allows you to carry on eating.
A veneer is a bit like a crown, but you only shave a millimetre off the front of the tooth so you can apply it. The veneer is made of porcelain, is glued on to the tooth and lasts 10 to 15 years.
If a veneer or crown comes off, breaks or chips, or the tooth dies due to nerve damage, you’ll have to get it done again.
Why are these so expensive?
They’re time-consuming. On top of that, it’s not just the dentist involved, it’s the nurse, the receptionist – they’re all devoting their undivided attention to one person. That’s why dentistry is very expensive.
In addition, there are the laboratory fees and laboratory technicians (who train from three to five years) who have to custom-fabricate a new tooth. If you are doing a crown on a front tooth, you want it to look good, you want the colour to match. The technician has to ensure that the tooth looks exactly like the one next to it.
Is a root canal painful?
Root-canal treatment is well known – and well feared. But it’s not necessarily painful. It usually gets people out of pain, or relieves them of infection. It’s a little bit of pain for a lot of relief.
Are cloves used in dentistry?
Cloves are a wonderful, natural painkiller and I regularly use a dressing with clove oil after taking teeth out. Occasionally we use it for toothache too.
Does naturally darker enamel signify stronger teeth?
Yes and no. A naturally darker tooth often has a thicker layer of enamel. And a denser core, which is called dentine.
The dentine, if it is dense, and hasn’t got lots of pores in it, will be darker because it absorbs more light. Enamel too, if it’s denser or thicker, will absorb more light.
When you’re young, really white teeth can indicate good dental health. But you shouldn’t worry if teeth look darker as you age, because that’s usually a sign that they’re denser and stronger. The enamel may get thinner, though, because of natural wear and tear.
Do you have to care for milk teeth and adult teeth differently?
Over time, adults get a lot more gum disease and decay. Children don’t get much gum disease, but decay can kill their teeth rapidly. This is because the core of the baby tooth isn’t as dense as an adult tooth – the dentine isn’t as thick.
Is it best to remove wisdom teeth?
There are national guidelines on this. If a wisdom tooth is coming through and there’s no room for it, it can’t sit straight and the gum doesn’t completely cover it. This will often cause food and plaque bacteria to get trapped, which can lead to bad breath and infections.
When we start seeing wisdom teeth coming through, we keep a close eye on them, and if they show signs of infection, we advise that they are extracted.
How long does it take for wisdom teeth to come through?
It takes anything from six months to a year. But often they don’t come through to the normal bite level. Keeping a close eye on them is a good idea.
3 of the best…
1 Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean electric toothbrush, £34.99, Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk
2 Oral-B Professional Care 1000 electric toothbrush, £59.99, Sainsbury’s: 0800- 328 1700, www.sainsburys.com
3 Phillips Sonicare FlexCare HX6902 electric toothbrush, £159.99, Boots: 0845-609 0055, www.boots.com
Manual tooth brushes
1 Colgate Zig Zag Plus toothbrush, £1.70, Ocado: 0845-399 1122, www.ocado.com
2 Oral-B Indicator 35 Medium toothbrush, £2.10, Boots: as before
3 Colgate Max White One Sonic toothbrush, £6.12, Sainsbury’s: as before
Children ’s tooth brushes
1 Aquafresh Toothbrush Little Teeth, £1.20, Waitrose: 0800- 188884, www.waitrose.com
2 Oral-B Vitality Kids Cars electric toothbrush, £23.29, John Lewis: 0845- 604 9049, www.johnlewis.com
3 Boots Smile Kids toothbrush, £1.09, Boots: as before
3 of the best…
Toothpastes 1 Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening toothpaste, £4.20, Superdrug: 0845- 671 0709, www. superdrug.com
2 Colgate Total Advanced Whitening toothpaste, £2.99, Waitrose: 0800- 188884, www. waitrose.com
3 Janina Ultrawhite Extra Strength toothpaste, £11.20, Boots: as before
Mouthwashes
1 Oral-B Multi- Protection mouthwash, £2.65, Boots: as before
2 Listerine Total Care mouthwash, £4.60, Superdrug: as before
3 CB12 Mint- Menthol mouthwash, £14.59, Boots: as before
Six Month Smiles
A revolutionary brace, Six Month Smiles, offers all the advantages of the traditional brace but employs clear brackets and toothcoloured wires, which makes it a more appealing proposition than the traditional knot of wire. It has been popular among celebrities, including Tom Cruise and Holly Willoughby, who have both used the new system. Six Month Smiles is set to be the remedy for adults wanting to correct and straighten their front teeth within a short time frame in the most discreet manner.