With gum disease causing more adult tooth loss than tooth decay, regular dental hygiene treatment is critical to keeping your gums and teeth healthy. Regular hygienist appointments, along with dental check-ups and home care for your teeth and gums, will considerably enhance the appearance of your teeth and your oral health.
Hygienists provide professional teeth cleaning, also known as scaling and polishing. Your hygienist will perform an initial dental hygiene examination during the appointment. They will then:
- Scale your teeth to remove any plaque or tartar build-up in those areas brushing cannot reach
- Clean and polish your teeth to eliminate any surface stains. Provide specific advice on how to maintain excellent dental health and explain strategies you may use at home.
- Our hygienist will also advise you on nutrition and how to avoid tooth decay. They can detect signs of gum disease and will refer you to a dentist or periodontist if anything needs to be treated further.
Top tips for brushing your teeth
To maintain your dental hygiene your smile pleasant and healthy, follow these essential actions and advice every time you wash your teeth.
- Before brushing your teeth, remember to floss or use an interdental brush.
- Before applying toothpaste, do not wet your toothbrush.
- The magic number is two. Brush twice a day for two minutes.
- Using a manual toothbrush, brush in circular strokes. Allow the brush to perform the work if you use an electric toothbrush.
- Avoid brushing back and forth.
- Brush each tooth Brush your tongue to get rid of germs and foul breath
- If you rinse your mouth after brushing, the fluoride will be washed away.
Seeing the hygienist is necessary, but you must also take care of your teeth at home to keep them clean and healthy. Brushing and flossing on a regular basis are vital for maintaining a healthy mouth.
Many individuals believe they know how to wash their teeth properly, but they are skipping certain crucial procedures that might be critical for maintaining excellent oral health.
Composite Filling Benefits
The biggest advantage of composite fillings is the superior aesthetics provided by the tooth-colored material. The shade and color of the composite resin can be closely matched to the color of the existing natural dentition, hence making these fillings particularly well suited for visible parts of the teeth, especially the front teeth.
Composite resin fillings prove durable and long-lasting because they actually chemically bond to the tooth structure via micro-pores. This provides further support to the weakened walls of the structure of a decaying or damaged tooth. In addition, composite resin fillings are popular because they may be used not only as filling materials for decaying teeth, they are also used for the restoration of chipped, misshapen, broken, or worn teeth.
Moreover, as these composite fillings are chemically bonded to the tooth, they require only the necessary minimum removal of tooth structure as compared to the silver amalgam fillings which require a certain depth and shape for adequate retention of the filling material. The white composite fillings not only improve the health of the teeth, but they do so without marring the appearance of dark and unsightly fillings.
Composite Filling Risk
As any dental procedure, dental fillings also come with certain risks, drawbacks, and limitations. There are no known severe health risks associated with the use of composite white fillings; however, the most prominent of the disadvantages of composite fillings are as follows:
- Some patients feel pain when biting down, chewing, grinding or applying pressure to the teeth in the days following the dental filling procedure.
- In rare cases, some patients may experience sensitivity to hot and cold sensations in the weeks after the filling.
- As compared to silver amalgam fillings, the composite white fillings wear out faster (in 7 to ten years as compared to 15 for amalgam).
- Depending on where used, composite fillings may be chipped off of the tooth.
- Due to the sensitivity of the material to moisture during application, the process of filling cavities with a composite material requires a longer chair-side time.
- Composite fillings are almost twice the cost of amalgam fillings, often rendering them unaffordable to some patients.
- Recurrent decay is much more prevalent in composite fillings than with amalgam or gold fillings.
- Composite filling materials are technique sensitive materials. They require specific handling and care during application. And while most dentists are skilled in composite fillings, the level of skill varies which can have a significant impact on the longevity of the restoration itself.