Even the smallest chip in a tooth should be examined by your dentist.

One of the most common types of damage caused to a tooth, other than  tooth decay, is a chipped tooth.

This can happen in a number of ways; from biting something harder than expected, grinding your teeth or even due to a fall or an accident. Sometimes, the chip may be quite large, but others may be quite small and seem almost irrelevant. Whatever the size though, you should always make an appointment to allow one of our Surbiton dental team to take a look at it.

Even a small chip in a tooth can have an effect on the health of your tooth, and mouth. Here are some possible solutions to correct it.

Leave the chip?

Sometimes, it may be better to do nothing when the chip is very tiny indeed. This is not a decision that the patient should take though, without consulting a dentist first. Even the smallest chip can cause problems by cutting or grazing the cheeks and tongue. Not only can this be sore, but may also lead to infections too. If the chip is causing no other problems, but has a sharp edge that causes this, your dentist may simply smooth off the sharp edge for you.

Composite bonding

If the chip in the enamel has not caused the underlying dentin layer to become exposed, an alternative to smoothing off any sharp edges, would be to use cosmetic bonding. This is a resin based material that can be shaped and used to restore the appearance of a chipped tooth, smoothing off any rough edges in the process. It is not as strong as enamel though and its use may be dependent on the strain that particular tooth edge may be subject to within the mouth.

White dental fillings

Read more ›

Surbiton dentist, Dr Minesh Patel explains how this increasingly common problem can impact your oral health.

Stress appears to be a symptom of living in the modern world. Whilst stress has probably always been around (where will the next meal come from? etc), there is little doubt that, with modern technologies and a busy life, it is perhaps not surprising that it is a problem that is on the increase.

Not all stress is bad. We can leverage on it to help achieve our aims and goals, but where it becomes overwhelming, we may no longer be able to control it and illness may follow. Stress has been associated with heart attacks and other serious condition, but it can also have a significant impact on the health of our teeth.

Comfort eating

When we are highly stressed, few of us will reach for a carrot stick to help us over it. Most of us, if we are honest, will reach for something that we find most comforting. This can often be something that is very high in sugar. Chocolate is a popular choice and is also believed by some to offer mood lifting qualities. Whether it does this or not, the sticky and sugary chocolate that becomes stuck to your teeth is certainly not going to do them any good.

Gum disease

Some researchers have found that when we are stressed, our body’s ability to produce immune cells to fight against bacteria are reduced. This means that we are less capable of fighting against the bacteria in our mouth that can contribute to gum disease. This reduction in our immunity means that gum disease is more likely, especially if the stress is due to an ongoing situation, rather than a one off event.

Another ‘stress factor’ that may increase the risk of gum disease is that some of us may turn to either, or both, cigarettes and alcohol. Whilst this may potentially relieve some of the stress, it is likely to lead to a dry mouth which is a major contributor to gum disease. These habits may also lead to other more serious issues, such as mouth cancers, if they continue.

TMJ and Bruxism

Read more ›

Keeping an eye on those habits that can be harmful to our teeth.

In a number of Confidental Clinic blogs, we have mentioned the oral health issues associated with habits such as smoking; habits which generally have potentially serious consequences. There are though, many other habits which may not cause the same degree of harm as smoking, but can still cause damage to our teeth, nonetheless.

The level of risk is variable but here is a quick summary so our local Surbiton patients have a degree of awareness of the damage they may be causing to their teeth and overall oral health.

Nail biting

We have written previously about the small risk to dental veneers when you bite your nails and other hard objects. This action can, on rare occasions, cause veneers to become detached. Even if you don’t wear veneers though, this action could still cause chips to appear in your teeth. It is not the nail itself which causes the damage, but when your teeth slip off the nail, coming into sharp contact with your other teeth. Although any damage is likely to be minor, even small chips in the teeth can become larger and potentially allow bacteria to enter the tooth, leading to decay.

Thumb sucking

Although a few adults may still do this, this habit is largely confined to younger children, often as a way to soothe themselves. Although this is entirely natural, care should be taken to minimise the amount of time that they do this. Sucking their thumb can cause the top front teeth to start to protrude and may need to be corrected with orthodontics as they grow older.

Opening bottles and even crisp packets

Read more ›

Some tooth discolouration is preventable, but age still plays a part in the way that our teeth look.

One of the most common concerns we hear expressed by patients at the Confidental Clinic in Surbiton, is that their teeth no longer look white like they used to when they were younger.

It is probably no coincidence then, that the teeth whitening procedure is one of the most popular cosmetic dental treatments currently available. There are many different causes for darker coloured teeth, some of which are in the patient’s control, whilst others are not.

In today’s blog, we take a look at the colour of our teeth throughout our lives and also how we can keep them as white as possible, for as long as possible.

Babies and very young children

This is an age where first teeth come through, followed by secondary teeth. Whilst it is very important to keep young teeth healthy at this stage of life, the colour should be of little concern. Providing that parents help them to brush their teeth and make sure that they eat a reasonably healthy diet, most children will have white teeth at this age; albeit it should be noted that genetics do play a part.

Early teens

During this period, hopefully no significant discolouration will occur; but that said, our teeth can very quickly come under attack from the foods we eat and our lifestyle choices. Lack of care when brushing, and a diet high in acids, perhaps including too many sugary drinks, can cause the enamel on our teeth to erode, leaving a rougher surface. The small pits and cracks created by this are likely to trap food staining materials, and discoloured teeth may be just around the corner.

Late teens/early adult

Read more ›

Just 4 days in, we look at why you should keep going with your quit smoking campaign.

Stoptober is a yearly initiative by Public Health England, to encourage people to stop smoking, or at the very least, to significantly cut down the amount of cigarettes that they smoke.

During this month, you are likely to see more anti smoking promotions in the media, and an increased awareness of where to access help and information for those who want to quit.

Like many things that we are determined to do, we often start out with an unbridled enthusiasm, only to find that reality hits us as we get a few days into it. The addictive nature of nicotine means that many people who try to stop smoking, will find it difficult to stop after the initial enthusiasm has waned. Our advice is not to let your addiction beat you! Remember, millions of people have already succeeded in giving up, and there is no reason why you should not be successful in doing so too.

Why stop smoking?

We can probably keep this section short as most of the health issues associated with smoking are fairly well known. From a dentist’s view point though, some patients may still not be aware of the link between smoking and gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. These, in turn, have been linked with other medical issues such as heart disease and an increased risk of a stroke.

One of the most serious oral health issues that is strongly linked to smoking is mouth cancer. This can be very serious and can even prove to be fatal, especially if it remains undetected for too long. We check for signs of this during your regular check ups at our Surbiton practice, so please make sure that you have one at least every six months.

From a purely cosmetic viewpoint, smoking will also stain your teeth, often quite badly.

Anti smoking resources

Read more ›