Show off those pearly whites.

Every month dentists Jay Padayachy and David Bloom from Watford’s Senova Dental Studios answer your questions about dental health.

Go on, smile!

My son's adult teeth are now all through (he's 13) and they're looking really over-crowded. Are braces the best way forward for him, and if so is he going to look like Ugly Betty's younger brother?

Janet, Watford

Braces are probably going to be the best option and a good start is to book a consultation with a dentist to discuss all the options. Your dentist may then consider a referral onto an orthodontic specialist. Braces are considered quite fashionable by many teenagers these days and so are unlikely to bother him; many of his friends may have them already. An alternative, if they are a concern, is tooth coloured braces fixed on the outside of the teeth or even lingual braces fixed on the inside of the teeth. Treatment may only take a year depending on the severity of the crowding. Newer options include invisible aligners although these can take much longer to correct the overcrowding (up to 2 years) and have to be worn for at least 21 hours a day.

I'm in my 60s and some of my teeth are feeling loose. What can I do? Am I going to end up with dentures?

Margaret, Watford

It may not be too late for all your teeth .The reason your teeth are loose is almost certainly gum disease. This causes bone loss, which in turn causes the teeth to get loose. The sooner you visit the dentist the sooner treatment can start to prevent further bone loss. An intensive programme of gum therapy either by your dentist or the hygienist may help save your natural teeth. If unfortunately they can’t be saved, it is still important to prevent further bone loss. The remaining bone will be required to either support some form of denture or to enable implant placement. Dental implants are titanium roots that are gently placed into the jawbone and can provide a fixed solution to missing teeth avoiding the need for a denture.

I find brushing my teeth really boring so quite often don't bother. My girlfriend says my teeth are starting to look brown and that I should be brushing them twice a day. I chew gum after meals and I keep hearing about fluoride in the water, so isn't twice a day a bit excessive?

Jamie, Bushey

For an adult not at risk of tooth decay it is essential to remove all the plaque that builds up on a tooth and around the gum margins of the teeth as completely as possible once a day. Check with your dentist or hygienist to ensure that you have the correct tools available to do this and that you are using them correctly. This may include electric toothbrushes, floss and brushes for cleaning between the teeth. This will help prevent gum disease and minimise the risk of tooth decay. Brushing more than this will help freshen the mouth and the fluoride in the toothpaste will help prevent tooth decay. So once a day is the minimum for avoiding gum disease and most definitely more often if you are at risk of tooth decay.

To contact David and Jay at Senova Dental Studios to make an appointment, call 01923 233600, email

dentists@senovadental.com

or visit

www.senovadental.com

This article was created on Tuesday, 22nd April 2008.

This is the 31st issue of Flea Magazine in Watford. You can choose to see the individual articles below, or see the entire flea magazine in pdf format.

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Inside Watford Flea 31

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