Highlighted by the BBC today, there are still many harmful cosmetic dental materials available online

Some of our Canterbury patients may have noticed an article on the BBC website today regarding potentially dangerous teeth whitening products being sold online.

This follows an investigation by ‘Which’ magazine who found that the worst of these contained quantities of the active ingredient which whitens the teeth and which is a form of bleach, to be 300 times above the recommended amount.

We will look at the issues around these treatments shortly but this is probably an opportune moment to appeal to our patients to remember that your teeth are not a solid block of material and shouldn’t be treated, for example, like a fingernail. Teeth are very complex and as those who have had a painful tooth will know, also have very sensitive nerves within them too!

Teeth whitening agents

The active ingredient in these products and also in teeth whitening toothpastes and the treatments that we use at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, is called hydrogen peroxide. It is a form of bleach that is safe to use by those who are professionally trained to do so; i.e. dentists. Whilst it is in teeth whitening toothpastes, it is there only in very small quantities and typically would not exceed 0.1%. As you can see, this is a small quantity which ensures that the toothpaste is safe to use. Unfortunately, it also means that anyone hoping to have bright white teeth from its use are likely to be somewhat disappointed.

The amount allowed is higher for specialised home teeth whitening kits that can be bought from chemists. Whilst small children are sometimes known to eat toothpaste, it is assumed that the kits will be less easily available to them in the home and therefore a higher amount of bleaching agent is allowed. This can range from a starting point of 0.1% up to 6%. This is also the maximum level that suitably trained cosmetic dentists can use.

Home or professional teeth whitening?

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Will a time come when you don’t have to visit your local dentist?

Going to the dentist for a regular checkup has become routine for most of us, or at least had until the start of the pandemic. Gradually, as dental practices return to normal, this will start to happen once again. Those of you who use social media a lot though may have noticed what seems to be an ever increasing number of dental treatments that are offered with some degree of remoteness.

As we become more accustomed to technology and given that most of us would like to save time where possible, could this be the future of dentistry, or is this something that might be more problematic for our Canterbury patients?

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we value the face to face meetings with our patients. Not only does this allow us to physically examine your teeth and gums, but also helps us to put you at ease. With nervous patients, for example, they might be reluctant to tell us of a problem as they want to avoid treatment. Detecting these problems though and talking them through any procedures can really put them at ease and help them to keep their teeth and gums healthy.

Let’s take a look then, at some of the types of ‘remote dentistry’ that you may have heard about.

Initial virtual consultations

During lockdown, some dental practices have used video communications to hold consultations with their patients.  Whilst few would probably want this as an alternative to physical visits, they have certainly been useful during this last year or so. The question is whether these are likely to continue once things return completely to normal. In our opinion, there may be a use for this type of remote care. It could potentially save time for both patient and dentist where an initial consultation could be held remotely. Although in most cases, this may well also require a follow up visit to the dentist, it could remain useful for initial consultations, and especially cosmetic ones.

We feel then, that the use of this technology will almost certainly have a role to play but will not completely replace the traditional visit to your dentist.

Remote treatment

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Concluding our explanation of dental terms that you might hear during your visit to our Canterbury clinic

Today’s blog wraps up our A-Z series of things that you might have heard a dentist say but were not sure what it meant. We hope that you have found this useful and, as they say, normal service will be resumed with our next blog.

In the meantime, we hope that you have enjoyed reading these and please remember that the dentists at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic are always happy to explain anything to do with your treatment that you don’t understand.

S – Scaling (periodontal) – Also sometimes called ‘root scaling’, this is a treatment for advanced gum disease (periodontitis), when the bacteria has not only affected the gums but the roots of the teeth and potentially the surrounding bone as well. It is an invasive treatment that has to be carried out by a suitable qualified dentist and shouldn’t be confused with the regular ‘scale and polish’ which the dental hygienist carries out. Another ‘S’ worth briefly mentioning too is ‘suture’; this is simply another name for a stitch.

T – TMJ or Temporomandibular – This refers to the ‘hinge’ of your jaw that allows the mouth to open and close smoothly. It can be affected by dental problems such as an incorrect and uneven bite as well as teeth grinding. In some cases where these habits occur, problems in this part of the jaw may lead to clicking of the jaw and even headaches. These can sometimes be prevented with a mouthguard which helps to prevent teeth grinding whilst you are asleep.

U – Unerupted tooth – This is a tooth which has not erupted as it should and may be causing discomfort or may have become infected. This most commonly occurs with the very rear teeth that are often referred to as wisdom teeth. These impacted teeth can sometimes be difficult to extract and a surgical procedure may be necessary in a small number of cases.

V – Veneer – Teeth veneers are a popular cosmetic dental treatment that can also be used to protect enamel damaged teeth from sensitivity to both hot and cold. Whilst a teeth whitening procedure is the first choice for those seeking a whiter smile, veneers may be more appropriate where heavy staining has occurred or where teeth are chipped and cracked. Most long term dental veneers are made from porcelain.

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Continuing our series of dental terminology explanations.

Last time, we took a look at some of the dental terminology that you may have heard at our Canterbury practice up to and including the letter ‘I’.

Today, patients of Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic can continue to learn more about some of these terms, starting with the letter ……..

J – Jawbone – Not a huge choice here and most of you will know what the jawbone is.There are separate terms for the upper and lower jaw which you may occasionally hear though. The upper part of the jaw is called the ‘maxilla’ and the lower part the ‘mandible’. Bone loss in the jaw following extraction or tooth loss can cause other teeth to move and may result in crooked teeth. Some patients may also suffer from jaw problems, often caused by teeth grinding. These are known as ‘occlusal’ problems.

K – Keratinised gingiva – Not one, perhaps, that you will hear too often but this refers to the thicker gum tissue around the neck of a tooth. Keratin itself is a protein that makes up the external layer of our skin as well as our hair and nails.

L – Local anaesthetic – Most of you will be familiar with this term and it is necessary to apply this before many dental treatments. To do so without would cause the treatment to be too painful to perform. It is applied via a fine needle into the gum around the tooth to be treated. Many people say that they dislike this as it hurts when it is given. In reality though, you are unlikely to feel much sensation as it enters the gum and any discomfort comes from the anaesthetic entering the bloodstream, a necessity to make the area numb so that the procedure can be carried out with minimum discomfort.

M – Molars – These are the teeth at the very rear of your mouth. They have a predominantly flat surface which allows you to chew your food. They are very strong but, being at the back of the mouth, are more difficult to keep clean. You should always try to clean at the back of these, including the use of floss.

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