PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY IN TONBRIDGE
Children’s Teeth
As dental professionals we believe in preventative dental care and encourage our patients to bring their children to the practice from an early age. Regular check-ups from a young age will ensure children don't suffer from untreated dental decay with devastating effects to their growing dentition. There are a number of preventative treatments that our team can provide for children:
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Fluoride applications are a safe and effective way to safeguard your child's growing teeth from developing decay. The fluoride is painted onto the surface of the teeth, helping to mineralise them.
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Tooth-coloured fissure sealants are applied to the biting surfaces of children's teeth to prevent decay.
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Studies have shown that the younger your child is when attending their first dental appointment, even if just for a check-up, the more likely they are to have a positive experience and to grow up unafraid of the dentist. Our team will take special care of your child to make them feel safe and cared for.
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Treating a child from a young age also allows the dentist to spot early signs of underbites, cross bites or overbites developing. As with most dental problems, the sooner you can start to treat it, the quicker it can be resolved.
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Prevention is always better than cure, so call the practice today to make an appointment for your child.
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Life Benefits
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Healthy teeth and gums for life.
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Reduced risk of developing tooth decay and reduced need for fillings.
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No fears or phobias of the dentist.
Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene treatment is delivered by a specially trained dental hygienist who will help to remove any hard-to-reach plaque from your teeth that may have built up over time. Here is what you can expect from a hygiene appointment:
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Your teeth and gums will be assessed to determine the amount of plaque removal you will need and risk factors will be highlighted.
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Your teeth will be professionally cleaned with special equipment and pastes. This process is also known as scaling and polishing.
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The hygienist's role is to show you how to look after your teeth so that they remain free from plaque in the future. You will be advised on the best tooth brushing technique and given tips on flossing and using interdental brushes.
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Dental hygiene at our practice also functions preventatively to treat gum disease and bad breath. If you have a bridge, denture, orthodontic treatment or a dental implant you will have specific hygiene needs that the hygienist will be able to assist you with.
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It is recommended that you come in for regular hygiene appointments to ensure your mouth stays clean and healthy.
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Life Benefits
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Minimised risk of tooth loss.
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Reduced risk of developing tooth decay and need for fillings.
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Fresh minty breath.
Bad Breath and Gum Disease
Your gums are like cushions for your teeth; they surround the tooth from its crown to its root in the jaw and help to support a healthy mouth. Looking after your gums is just as important as looking after your teeth, and without routine cleaning gum disease can occur. These are the stages of gum disease:
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Red and swollen gums that bleed when you brush them are a sign of a type of gum disease, gingivitis.
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When gingivitis is left untreated it can develop further into a type of infection known as periodontitis, which affects the entire area surrounding the tooth, causing discomfort and difficulty when eating.
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Eventually this kind of infection can lead to tooth loss and may require invasive procedures to replace the missing tooth.
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Fortunately, this can be avoided by attending regular hygiene check-ups at the practice and maintaining a good daily hygiene routine. Brushing between the teeth, flossing and replacing your toothbrush every three months will also benefit your gum health.
Life benefits
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Minimised risk of tooth loss.
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Reduced risk of developing tooth decay and need for fillings.
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Fresh, minty breath.
Decay Detection
Having a preventative ethos at Tonbridge Dentistry, we recommend regular dental examinations as advised by your dentist. This is because detecting decay at an early stage can prevent excessive tooth damage and when cavities are small, they are much easier, less painful and cheaper to treat.
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Here at Tonbridge Dentistry, tooth decay detection is the most important preventative dental care procedure we provide for helping to help maintain good dental health. When performed by our talented dentists, decay detection is completely painless and performed using powerfully lit magnification tools and a series of x-rays.
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In its early stages, tooth decay does not tend to show many physical signs and often does not cause any pain or sensitivity. Sometimes the tooth looks visually healthy, but taking an x-ray of your teeth allows us to determine whether you have any decay under the enamel, any possible infections in the roots, or any loss of bone around the tooth. Tiny spots of decay can be identified and treated before any real damage is done.
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Prevention is the key message and through regular dental examinations, we can ensure you avoid serious dental health problems and the extensive treatments they may require.
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The most common places for decay for children and adults can often start in the areas between the teeth - and this is one of the main reasons you should floss or use interdental brushes daily. The little pits and grooves on the chewing surface of the back teeth are also a troublesome area.
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Placing a filling in the cavity can usually treat tooth decay. If left untreated, decay can eventually lead to the tooth dying and infection spreading under the root, causing a dental abscess. This may then need a root filling to treat the problem, or even an extraction of the tooth.
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Detecting things early can help you to keep a healthier, happier and brighter smile for many years to come.
Smoking Cessation Advice​
Many studies have shown that smoking and using tobacco products has a detrimental effect on your teeth and gums. The root of the problem is the way in which tobacco affects the gum tissue cells, making smokers more prone to infections in the form of gum and periodontal diseases. Here are some oral health problems caused by smoking:
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Bad breath.
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Stained teeth.
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Jawbone loss, shrinking gums and tooth loss.
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Mouth sores, and poor healing of mouth sores.
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Decreased senses of taste and smell.
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Mouth cancer.
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As dental professionals it is important for us to tell you the risks of smoking and to help you to quit by giving you information and support. By cutting down and stopping smoking or using tobacco products your oral health will benefit very quickly and you will notice changes in your mouth almost immediately. It is essential that you come into the practice for regular check-ups so that we can help you maintain good oral health and give you advice and encouragement.
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Life Benefits
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Improved oral health.
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Decreased risk of tooth loss.
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Decreased risk of mouth cancer.
Mouth Cancer Screening
Studies show that mouth cancer is on the increase and that early detection dramatically improves the chances of recovery. Late detection of mouth cancers has resulted in a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma, with about 2,700 deaths per year in the UK. Mouth cancer screening is a simple procedure performed at a dental practice that involves the following:
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A detailed analysis of your oral health history to determine any risk factors that you might have.
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A thorough examination of the outside of your mouth, head and neck by observation and touch.
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A thorough internal examination of your mouth, including the inside of your cheeks and under your tongue.
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A handheld scanning device may also be used to examine any lumps or lesions that you might have.
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Any inconclusive findings will be referred to a specialist consultant.
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It is recommended that you come in for a screening on a yearly basis. If you have any sores, lumps or long-term ulcers in your mouth, no matter how small, it is very important that you come in to have it looked at. Because smoking is strongly linked with many forms of cancer and other dental problems, we always encourage our patients to quit smoking. An excellent source of information is the Mouth Cancer Foundation if you require any further information.
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Life Benefits
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Early detection of oral cancer dramatically improves the prognosis.
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Sustained good oral health.
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Sustained good general health.
