A look at some inherited family traits that can affect our overall oral health.

Let’s presume that everyday, you brush your teeth diligently, floss them every night and also eat a tooth friendly diet and keep all of your dental appointments. Do this mean that you can almost guarantee that you will have healthy teeth and gums? Sadly, almost certainly not.

Whilst carrying out the above is by far the best way to keep your mouth healthy, there can be external factors that can have an impact on your teeth and gums. Some, such as accidents, are well understood, others though may come as more of a surprise to patients of our Streatham dental surgery.

Genetic sugar cravings

Believe it or not, the choice that we make to eat sweeter foods may not just be down to our willpower. Scientists in the USA have claimed that some of us may have a genetic predisposition to sweet tasting foods. Obviously, those that have this will eat more sugary foods over their lives and this alone will greatly increase the likelihood of tooth decay.

Enamel structure

Having strong tooth enamel is key to preventing tooth decay. Once it becomes weakened or damaged, tooth decay and root canal infections may well be only a short time away unless treated. Unfortunately, we are not all born with the same strong enamel, and those of us who are born with weaker enamel are prone to more damage, infections and tooth decay.

‘Quality’ of saliva

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Dr Payal Patel advises what to discuss with your dentist during a checkup at our Streatham practice

Hopefully, most of our patients are in  the habit of having a dental examination every six months or so.

This is one of the key requirements for having a healthy mouth. Although these may seem routine, they are essential in monitoring your oral health and taking corrective action where necessary. Because of this, it makes sense to get the most from these appointments and this is best done through two way communication with your dentist.

Whilst we can see most problems upon close inspection, it is still very important that you let us know of anything that may be concerning you about your teeth, gums or oral cavity in general.

Below, we take a look at some of the things that you may wish to discuss with your dentist during your checkup at the Confidental Clinic.

Pain or discomfort

If you have been experiencing any discomfort, you should let us know, even if it has since subsided. Not all causes of pain are obvious, and root canal infections, for example, can often only be detected through the use of an x-ray. Although we do x-ray your mouth from time to time, this will not be done on every occasion as a matter of routine. Therefore, if you have been experiencing discomfort and we suspect that a root canal infection may be the cause, we will take an x-ray to determine if this is the case. If so, an appointment to have root canal treatment will need to be made.

Have your gums been bleeding?

Patients may have noticed a little blood in their saliva when they spit after brushing. This can sometimes be dismissed as just ‘one of those things’. The reality though is that if this has happened more than once, it is likely that you are suffering from gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease. This can usually be reversed through a better cleaning regimen and we may also recommend that you have a scale and polish which can be performed at our Streatham practice by the hygienist. We will also investigate further to check for any signs of more advanced problems.

Are you unhappy with your smile?

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Just a few of the things you can avoid more easily with a successful Stoptober.

You may have noticed that this month heralds the start of Public Health England’s ‘Stoptober’ campaign. The aim of this is to focus people’s attention on stopping smoking, with regular information and support being offered for those who try to do so. As a lot of people use this month to stop smoking, you may find it easier to find others to support you and be supported during the times that you are struggling in your own ‘stop smoking’ campaign.

The harm that smoking causes is well known, and thankfully, a growing number of people have now quit, with many more aiming to do so as soon as they feel able. The benefits of stopping smoking are huge for all areas of your health. It is probably fair to say that there are no health benefits at all to be had by continuing smoking. From serious heart and lung problems, to socially unpleasant effects, such as halitosis, stopping smoking can only be a good thing.

How to stop smoking

How you stop will probably depend on you as an individual. For some people nicotine patches or gum offer a successful approach. Many people have found that switching to vaping works well for them. This should though, perhaps, be seen as a relatively short term solution as little is known of the long term effects of this smoking alternative. For other patients, good old fashioned will power is enough. There is a wealth of information on the Public Health England website to help you along the way.

A few tips to help you

Whatever method you choose to help you stop smoking, you will, almost inevitably, meet a number of challenges along the way. Sometimes, you might ‘weaken’ and have a cigarette. This is not the end of the world, and you simply need to refocus on stopping again. To help you along the way, our local dental team have suggested a few tips that they, or their friends found to be helpful when they kicked the habit.

Change your habits

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Are you avoiding giving your mouth the attention it deserves asks Dr Payal Patel?

When we have a chest pain or similar, we don’t think twice about seeing a doctor to get to the bottom of the problem.

When we have a mild toothache, or our gums are sore though; unless we are in significant pain, many of us probably just wait and hope that it will go away. Naturally, chest pains should be investigated promptly, but so should any dental problems that arise.

With an improved education strategy and an increasing amount of research linking oral health problems with issues such as heart disease and even Alzheimer’s (1), we will hopefully see more and more people starting to take more responsibility for looking after their oral health.

When should you see a dentist?

There are two types of dental appointments that you should make. Your general appointment, which should be approximately every six months or so, or more frequently where necessary, such as if you have diabetes. This is essential to monitor your teeth and gums and provide any necessary treatment before the problem becomes more advanced.

The other type is an emergency dental appointment. These should be made whenever you feel that something is not right and where professional help should be sought.

What constitutes an emergency appointment?

Many people associate emergency dental care with acute pain. Perhaps it is the famous ‘British reserve’ that means that many people only contact their dentist when they are in great pain. In fact, an emergency appointment should be made for anything that needs prompt attention. If you break a tooth, but it doesn’t hurt, it still needs treating quickly to prevent other problems arising. Likewise, if you have some minor discomfort of a tooth or your gums, there is no sense in waiting until it becomes more painful, and you should seek prompt treatment.

We try to see patients who seek emergency treatment at our Streatham clinic on the same day wherever possible. We will though, always try to prioritise those patients who are in genuine pain or distress, before those who may be able to delay for a short while.

Avoiding the dentist

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Tips for mums-to-be from Confidental Clinic in Streatham.

During pregnancy your dental needs change, and your Streatham dentist is here to support you with your oral health through this important time in your life. Dental health isn’t usually the first thought when you’re growing a brand new family member.

Of course things like preparing the nursery, monitoring the health of the baby, and getting prepared for your new arrival will all be at the forefront of your mind. However, oral health should be something you remain on top of during pregnancy, as you have higher risks of some conditions which can then affect the health of your baby.

This advice from Dr Manisha Patel will help you to take care of your oral health during pregnancy:

Nutrition

Good nutrition is an important part of pregnancy so that both mother and baby get the right amount of nutrients and vitamins like calcium and protein. Consuming a balanced diet during pregnancy will also help to aid oral health, as calcium and vitamins A, C and D are all essential for good smile health. Unfortunately, if there are issues with consuming enough of the right vitamins and minerals, the bone health of both mother and baby can be affected.

Risks

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Is It Time To Think About ‘Stoptober’ Now?

Although some people can decide to quit smoking, then quit the next day and remain successful long-term, that really is not the reality for many people. Some people need several attempts to quit, and some people need a lot of time to mentally prepare.

It is common for panic to set in at the thought of quitting next week or, within the month, which is why now could be a good time to start thinking about Stoptober.

Give Yourself Time To Understand The Issues

If you want more reasons to quit, then facing up to the facts could be a really good thing to do. Facing them well in advance is even better, because it gives you time to absorb the issues and think about how they could affect you if you don’t quit in the future. In relation to your general health, some shocking facts about smoking are:

• Tobacco is the single biggest cause of cancer
• Smoking causes 7 in 10 lung cancer cases in the UK
• Even light smokers who smoke up to 4 times a day are 50% more likely to die from premature death than non smokers
• The chemicals in smoke are dangerous for anybody to inhale
• Smoking stains your teeth and leads to bad breath

You can find these facts and more like them at the Cancer Research Website. They might be hard to read if you are smoking still, but you can change your risk level in the future dramatically, by quitting smoking.

Give Yourself Time To Understand Why You Want To Quit

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