Why You Should Visit the Hygienist

Routine Dental Hygiene Appointment

Regular visits to your dental hygienist are important in the upkeep of your oral health. At Newby Dental Practice, our therapist Holly, and hygienists Mandy and Helen, will help provide treatment and advice to ensure that your dental health is in the best condition.

What Does a Dental Hygienist Do?

When visiting your dentist, they may suggest to book an appointment with a hygienist. Your hygienist will prevent, identify and treat gum disease. Gum disease is caused by the buildup of plaque on your teeth and gums, which can cause irritation and bleeding. Your helpful hygienist will remove the plaque in those hard to reach areas and provide advice on how to effectively clean your teeth as well as your gums. They will also give lifestyle advice to help prevent gum disease.

Advice to Improve Your Oral Health

Brushing your teeth twice a day will help to combat gum disease as well as brushing in between your teeth using either floss or interdental brushes. Creating a routine involving these steps will help to embed them into your oral hygiene regimen, benefitting your dental health.

Smoking is the number one cause of gum disease as it restricts the flow of oxygen in the blood flow, preventing the infected gums from healing. As a smoker it is likely that your gum disease will worsen more quickly leading to tooth loss. You will also find that treatment may be more difficult to stabilize your gum disease. Quitting smoking will help to prevent gum disease.

A balanced diet will also help to improve your oral health, so whilst it is important to eat healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables, it is also vital to reduce your intake of sugary items, such as fizzy drinks. Not only do fizzy drinks contain high volumes of sugar which can cause dental decay, but they also consist of acid which can erode the strong enamel that protects your teeth. Improving your diet will also help to have a positive effect on your general health which is an added bonus!

If you are interested in any extra advice or you would like to book an appointment with one of our hygienists, give our friendly team a call on 01723 670500 and they will be happy to help with any inquiries.

Why Your Toddler Shouldn’t Drink Milk Through The Night

Tooth decay is the most common infectious disease in children. Primary teeth, also known as baby teeth, are essential for the health and development of your child. They allow for the development of permanent (adult) teeth by saving space for them in the jaw. If a baby tooth is lost too early in development, permanent teeth can drift into the empty space making it difficult for all adult teeth to erupt properly. Unfortunately, the progression of tooth decay can begin as soon as the first tooth comes in.

Feeding your child milk during the night, after brushing their teeth, can cause severe cavities on the front teeth. Although milk is essential for your child’s development, it does contain small amounts of sugar and if fed during the night, your child’s teeth are essentially being soaked in sugar overnight.

How Can You Protect Your Child’s Teeth?

  • If your child requires a bottle to sleep, try filling it with plain water to prevent the occurrence of cavities.
  • Never fill your child’s bottle with high sugar drinks such as juice or fizzy drinks.
  • When your child’s teeth start to come in, use a teething toothbrush and a smear of children’s toothpaste.
  • Take your child to the dentist as soon as their first tooth appears.

If you require any further advice, give our friendly team a call on 01723 670 500 or email us at info@newbydental.co.uk

Everything You Need to Know About Lip Cancer

Lip cancer is a form of oral cancer. A recent study has found that a worrying 75% of the British public do not know what the signs and symptoms of lip cancer are. If caught early, lip cancer can be treated successfully so an early diagnosis is essential.

Signs to look out for include:

  • Open sores.
  • Visible changes to the skin on the lips.
  • A red patch that becomes crusty, itchy or bleeds.
  • Lumps or wart-like growths.
  • A pale or white skin area that looks similar to a scar.

There are certain lifestyle choices that can increase your risk of developing lip cancer. These factors include:

  • Sun exposure
  • Alcohol use
  • Tobacco use

Due to climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer (the layer that absorbs the harmful rays radiated by the sun), the risk is only going to get worse so it is vital that you are aware of how to reduce the likelihood of developing lip cancer.

Alcohol and tobacco use are also risk factors. People who drink three to four alcoholic drinks a day are twice as likely to develop mouth cancer than those who do not. The risk increases by two or three times when tobacco use and daily alcohol consumption are combined.

Prevention

The Oral Health Foundation reports that “up to 90% of all mouth cancers are linked to lifestyle factors”, so it is vital that you regulate your alcohol consumption. It is also reported that smoking can increase your risk of oral cancers by up to ten times, so now would be a good time to quit!

Also try to apply protective SPF lip balm daily, even on a cloudy day. to protect your lips from the UV rays from the sun.

It is vital that you attend regular check ups with your dentist to look out for the signs and symptoms. Here at Newby Dental Practice we complete a routine oral cancer screening at every dental check up, contact us to book your appointment now. If you require any further information or advice, please contact us at info@newbydental.co.uk or 01723 670500