It’s our Christmas Dental Quiz Time – What Do You Remember?

A reminder of some of the dental topics that we covered in this last year.
This will be our last blog of 2023, with more to come in the new year. We hope that you find these useful and we are always interested in covering subjects that are of particular interest to our Canterbury patients so please do let us know if there is anything that you would like us to cover.
To conclude this year, we thought that we would provide a recap of some of the main blog topics that we have covered during the year. Hopefully this will act as a reminder of some dental issues but also provide a bit of end of year fun for you too. Without further ado then, here is the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic Christmas quiz.
Questions
- Dental implants offer strength and security due to the implant being secured into the jawbone. This happens via a natural process called what?
- Name three dental procedures that can help to whiten your teeth
- What is ‘bruxism’?
- Name three advantages that modern ‘aligner’ style orthodontics, such as Invisalign, offer over traditional wire and bracket ‘braces’
- What does a dentist who specialises in ‘endodontics’ do?
- What is the one ingredient you should always make sure is in the toothpaste that you use?
- Aside from general health issues, smoking has a negative impact on our oral health. Name three problems that it can cause.
- Bleeding gums is a well known symptom of gum disease. Can you name three more?
- What treatment is used in facial aesthetics to plump up the lips or firm up sagging cheeks?
- What problems can gum disease cause in pregnant women?
Answers
- ‘Osseointegration’. This is a natural process where the bone and the tooth implant fuse together. This usually takes around three months to complete.
- The most obvious answer is the teeth whitening procedure. Porcelain dental veneers can also be used where heavy staining has occurred and the final ‘brushing’ part of a scale and polish as part of your gum health regime will also help to remove some surface staining.
- Bruxism is where patients grind their teeth together, often causing enamel wear or even broken teeth. Although it can happen due to stress during the day, the vast majority of it occurs when we sleep, making it quite difficult to control.
- They are made from a medical grade transparent plastic material that makes them almost unnoticeable when you wear them. They are removable when you are eating and for cleaning your teeth. Finally, because of the lack of wiring, there is less likelihood of food becoming trapped in the teeth and leading to tooth decay or gum disease.
- A dentist who specialises in endodontics is called an ‘endodontist’ and is skilled in the interior part of the teeth and especially root canal infections. From the Greek language roots ‘endo’ means inside or interior and ‘odont’ means tooth. Not a word our Canterbury patients like to hear, we know, but it is now a much more routine treatment than it once was and shouldn’t be feared.
- Fluoride. Although most toothpastes do include this, some from health foods shops etc may not. Fluoride is very important for strengthening the tooth enamel and preventing damage and cavities caused by tooth decay.
- The most instantly noticeable and visible problem caused by smoking is stained teeth. More importantly though, it is a major factor in gum disease and even in the potentially fatal oral, or mouth, cancer. If you still smoke, make 2024 the year when you quit.
- Gum disease has a number of possible symptoms that might be spotted quite easily. These can include sore or red gums, pus between the teeth and halitosis, also known as ‘stinky breath’. There are many others too and gum disease may even present no significant symptoms which is why it is important to see our dental hygienist for regular check ups every six months.
- Dermal fillers are used for this purpose and help to replace the collagen that is lost as we become older.
- In addition to possible loose teeth or even tooth loss, gum disease management in pregnant women is important as it can lead to premature birth and/or low birth weight. There is also some research that suggests that it may lead to a higher risk of developing diabetes too.
We hope that you have enjoyed our little quiz and that is has perhaps reminded you of the importance of looking after your oral health, both at home and through the help of your friendly local dental team.
Until 2024 then, from all the team at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic, we wish all of our patients from Canterbury and across the Kent region, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.