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Lockdown has been a difficult time for many people. It is important to feel safe and comfortable during dental visits. The way dental practices ensure this is to keep up to date and follow the recommendations of the relevant authorities. Based on the guidelines of the HSE, Irish dental association and American dental association.

• Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.
• All staff will be wearing additional PPE. This is to protect us all.
• You will be asked to attend the surgery alone unless you need a guardian or have extreme anxiety
• We have hand sanitiser that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
• You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
• We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time. You may be asked to wait in your car until called in for your appointment.

On a weekly basis, patients at Blackrock Clinic Dentistry ask us when they should bring their child to the dentist.

• The first baby teeth to erupt are usually the lower front 2 teeth at age 6-10 months. Please see the chart below re the eruption pattern.

We advise as soon as the baby teeth begin to erupt then attend the dentist for a dental check-up. Why?

• It is very important to get your child familiar with the dentist at an early age. It is vital that they like attending the dentist.
• Prevention is better than cure so we recommend attending every 6 months.
• Catch decay early to avoid extractions at an early age.
• Sometimes orthodontic intervention is required at any early age so regular routine dental examinations are important.
• Diet advice- your dentist will advise you on the best and worst foods or drinks for your child’s teeth.
• The dentist will advise you the best oral hygiene technique and tips on how your child can improve brushing their teeth.

Dental erosion also known as acid erosion is a form of tooth wear. Dental erosion is the loss of tooth enamel caused by acid.
There are different forms of tooth wear but today we will discuss dental erosion.
Enamel is the hard, outer surface of your tooth that protects the underlying dentine and pulp.
If the enamel starts to wear away, the underlying dentine is exposed, which may lead to sensitivity and in some occasions pain. If the wear continues, teeth will gradually over time become shorter. As well as sensitivity, this can also interfere with function. Patients that usually suffer from dental erosion also usually complain of not liking the appearance of their teeth.

What causes Dental Erosion?

• Acids in food and drink. The main causes are excessive consumption of fizzy drinks, sports drinks, sparkling water, fruits and fruit juices, alcohol and many more. Fruit that people bite into like lemons or strawberries, etc. can lead to erosion on your front upper teeth as well as your posterior teeth. This can lead to your front teeth feeling rough, sensitive and picks up staining easily.
• Acid reflux from the stomach. Acid can become regurgitated during reflux which may present with symptoms of heartburn.
• Dry mouth
• Medications

How to avoid Dental Erosion:

• Decrease the amount of acidic food and drinks consumed. Keep acidic food/drinks to mealtimes to reduce the number of acid attacks on your teeth. Try not to snack on acidic foods.
• Increase your knowledge on foods, drinks that may cause erosion. The dentists in Blackrock Clinic Dentistry are always available to give advice.
• Rinse your mouth with water or drink some milk or bite into cheese to neutralise the acid post eating fruit.
• Wait for at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking anything acidic or reflux before brushing your teeth.

6 month braces! - Are you a suitable candidate?

If you are interested in straightening your front teeth only, want it done within 6 months and hassle free, then this it’s the treatment for you! 6 month braces can correct a lot.

What is it?

It combines traditional orthodontic treatment with modern techniques. It comprises of brackets and wire all of which are tooth coloured to make the treatment as discrete as possible.

What do I need to do?

It is hassle free treatment. All that is needed is to attend an appointment every 4-6 weeks and keep good oral hygiene throughout treatment

Will my teeth more move after treatment?

You will be supplied with a removable retainer at the end of treatment to maintain the new straight appearance. You also have the option to get a fixed retainer on the back of the teeth to secure them post treatment. Retention is the key to keeping your new straight smile.

How do I start?

Just book a consultation to see if you are a suitable candidate. If you are we will take impressions and get you ready for to place the braces. It’s as easy as that!

Why is decay so bad?

Once the decay process has started it continues until it is removed. The further the decay continues the larger the cavity in the tooth. The larger the cavity in the tooth the weaker the tooth is long-term even with a restoration. If the decay continues through the enamel and the dentine and reaches the pulp, the nerve will be affected and start to die off. This results in pain for the patient and root canal treatment or extraction being the only two options available if this occurs.

What Causes decay?

Decay (clinically referred to by dentists as caries) is the process of destruction of enamel and dentine of the tooth by acid produced by bacteria in the mouth fuelled by sucrose(sugar).

Bacteria adhere to the teeth in a layer form known as plaque.

Therefore the main two things needed for the decay process to occur are plaque (bacteria biofilm) and sucrose (sugar)

To prevent decay

To prevent decay we have to minimise sugar intake and frequency and remove thoroughly plaque containing bacteria.

Review your diet. Reduce frequency of snacking and intake of any sugary drinks. Especially sports drinks/smoothies/energy drinks and sugar in tea and coffee.
Plaque removal: Brush well 2 times per day and floss daily. Flossibg cleans the 30% of tooth surface not accessed by the brush.

Get the teeth cleaned by your dentist every 6 months to remove the plaque that you can’t access or that has hardened and is difficult to clean off.

Use a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash. Fluoride if the one ingredient that can reverse early decay.

If you have decay

It is important to see you dentist for regular check ups to catch any decay in its earliest form when the cavity is at its smallest to minimise tooth destruction and to keep filling sizes to a minimum.

Do you suffer from sensitive teeth?

Do you brush your teeth and feel a twinge? Do you avoid eating/drinking anything cold due to the pain in your teeth?
Sensitivity of your teeth can range from a mild awareness of a tooth to a severe nerve type pain that radiates from your upper teeth to your lower teeth. Sensitivity can be described as a nerve type pain that can range in time from a few seconds after the stimulus is provided to hours.
If you are noticing sensitivity of your teeth then this is likely to be a warning sign of a dental problem.

What causes sensitive teeth?

• Tooth decay
• Fractured or lost fillings
• Exposed dentine/root surface
• Gum disease
• Wear on teeth from grinding, erosion, clenching
• Toothbrush abrasion

Today, we will discuss exposed dentine/root surface from toothbrush abrasion. We will give a summary of the other causes and refer you to our other more detailed blogs in relation to the other forms of wear.

A common cause of sensitivity is wear of enamel causing dentine/root exposure. Toothbrush abrasion- is caused by brushing too hard and likely using a hard bristle toothbrush. The majority of people tend to brush too aggressively. These can lead to the enamel being worn away, particularly where the teeth meet the gums. The exposed dentine may become sensitive as it is no longer protected.

Tip

To prevent toothbrush abrasion, brush with a soft bristled brush in small circular movements or use an electric brush. Blackrock Clinic Dentistry love using a soft manual curaprox toothbrush .

Try to change which side you begin brushing as remember the side you brush first tends to be the side you brush best.

Dental decay: It is important to have a dental examination every 6 months to help prevent and treat tooth decay. If you have noticed a roughness in your fillings or any signs of wear on your fillings then it is important to have your teeth examined.

Dental Erosion: please see our blog below on dental erosion. This is the wear of dental enamel through an attack of acid from acidic foods, drinks, relux, etc.. This can lead to sensitivity as the dentine is no longer protected.

Grinding your teeth can lead to wear of enamel causing dentine exposure. Please discuss with your dentist if you feel you grind your teeth. We will give a more detailed discussion on grinding and clenching in our next blog.

Gum recession: receding gums occur naturally over time. This will lead to root exposure. This root exposure will then lead to root sensitivity.

Treatment of sensitive teeth

Use a desensitising toothpaste. This works by creating an artificial layer over the exposed root reducing sensitivity. You will need to use this toothpaste for at least a week before you may notice a difference. As suggested above, review how you brush your teeth with your dentist.

You may also require bondings (small fillings) over the exposed root which will make the root look more aesthetic also.

Do you qualify for a Dental Examination and Scale and Polish under the PRSI scheme?

Under the new terms, we are pleased to say that the PRSI will now offer a contribution to your yearly dental exam and scale and polish.

Say goodbye to tartar and hello to sparkling teeth..

Call (01)­ 572 0888 or email info@merrionroaddental.ie for more details. Please have your PPS number ready.

Wisdom tooth infections - What is a wisdom tooth infection?

A wisdom tooth usually causes pain and becomes infected if it is impacted. There are numerous types of wisdom tooth impaction.
The wisdom tooth can be nearly fully erupted with a small amount of gum covering over the functioning portion.
The wisdom tooth may be partially erupted or just the very tip may be visible. It is usually the flap of gum that becomes swollen and caused the infection.

How can this happen?

If food becomes trapped in the area, leading to inflammation, this alone could cause pain or a mild ache in the area. The upper wisdom tooth may then traumatise this flap of gum causing it to become a progressively bigger swelling causing a lot of pain.
If you grind your teeth at night or during the day this can also cause trauma to the flap of gum.

When does this happen?

Our dentists mostly find patients complaining of this when you are very busy at work or studying for exams. In general, it can happen at anytime though.

What are the signs and symptoms of wisdom tooth infection?

• Pain – ranging from a discomfort to a mild ache to severe pain
• Swollen gum around the wisdom tooth
• Bad taste
• Swelling of lymph nodes
• Problems with swallowing
• You may not be able to function on that side
• Limited mouth opening
• Pain may radiate to head

Treatment of a wisdom tooth infection

• Visit our dentist
• Rinse with a chorohexidine mouthwash for 40 seconds daily
• Clean around the tooth as best as possible
• The infection may require an antibiotics from you dentist
• If the infection is recurrent then your dentist will recommend treatment of either removing the flap of gum around the wisdom tooth or extraction of the wisdom tooth.

Do you have a discoloured or black front tooth that you constantly stare at in photos?

Do not worry, there are various options to consider when planning how you can treat the darkness.

Bleaching – normally anterior teeth that are black or discoloured have undergone trauma and the majority have had root canal treatment. If your tooth has not had root canal treatment then you can try normal bleaching but the prognosis is not predictable. Internal bleaching is a process where we bleach your tooth over 3 weeks requiring usually 3 visits. The results can vary but it is a quick procedure that is not intrusive.

Veneer – A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain bonded to your own tooth. Usually approx. 0.5mm of your tooth will need to be removed to allow for the veneer. It is like the thickness of your nail.

Crown – A crown is like a “cap” for your tooth. It is a shell of porcelain that is placed around your prepared tooth.

If you have any questions regarding a discoloured tooth, then call Blackrock Clinic Dentistry on (01)­ 572 0888 today or email info@merrionroaddental.ie.

Do you grind your teeth?

Dental attrition is a type of tooth wear caused by tooth-to-tooth contact, resulting in loss of tooth structure, usually starting at the incisal or occlusal surfaces. Tooth wear usually increases with age.
Dental Attrition is the progressive loss of tooth structure caused by mastication or grinding between opposing teeth. The extent of attrition will depend upon the use to which an individual puts their teeth. People will often grind their teeth more when stressed at work or very busy in life in general. A lot of people will grind their teeth at night, unknown to themselves.
In severe cases of attrition, the protective layer of enamel, can become worn to the point that dentine is exposed, leading to tooth decay and increased dental sensitivity.
Dental attrition can also be linked with TMJ discorders.
Often patients will be unaware they grind their teeth and just notice that their teeth are becoming flatter and uneven. At this stage, patients will usually complain that their teeth look “worn, short and uneven in length”.

Signs and Symptoms

• Loss of tooth structure including a flattening or thinning of the teeth
• Damage or failure of prior dental restorations
• Increased dental pain/sensitivity due to loss of the enamel
• Sore or irriatated gums
• Tooth discoloration as a result of loss of enamel and exposure of the dentine layer
• Shortened or uneven anterior teeth

Sometimes, patients will be unaware they grind their teeth until the dentist identifies the signs.

Treatment

There are many treatment options to help prevent against dental attrition including :

• Occlusal splint (night guard) to wear at night to protect the teeth.
• Composite (filling material) build ups for aesthetics and function.
• Crowns are sometimes required to protect the worn teeth against further wear.
• Orthodontic treatment to align their bite.

Treatment of dental attrition can vary depending on signs and symptoms so we advise to discuss with the dentists at Blackrock Clinic Dentistry.

We are all feeling the heat and eating a lot more junk food with the summer vibes in abundance. Ice-cream consumption is on the rise but for some people that 99 is not as enjoyable as they would like.

Do you get a “nerve type” pain every time you eat ice-cream or very cold drinks?

Advice from the dentists on sensitivity when eating ice-cream or very cold drinks

This nerve type pain may simply be from root exposure.

Root exposure can occur due to a number of reasons including:

• Brushing too hard
• If you suffer from periodontal disease
• You clench your teeth
• Age

A very simple bonding can easily cover this exposed root and remove sensitivity altogether.

This is a very straightforward procedure and unlikely to require local anaesthetic.

Our dentists will advise you on the likely cause of your sensitivity and give some oral hygiene tips.

There may be other causes of the pain so we would suggest attending our dentist for a dental examination to rule out any disease.

Call Blackrock Clinic Dentistry on (01)­ 572 0888 for more information or email info@merrionroaddental.ie .