The Eversley Road Dental Practice, 11 Eversley Road, Bexhill-on-Sea,
East Sussex TN40 1EU
01424
210610
FAQs
| So why does the dentist blow air on my teeth? | |||||
| When the dentist is doing a check
up for you, the air is used to dry your teeth. Teeth are naturally
coated in sticky saliva, and without this being dried off, the light
from the examination light reflects off of the tooth surface. This
means the dentist cannot see the tooth properly. When the tooth is
dry however, the tooth can be seen and examined very clearly.
When the dentist is doing a filing or other restorative work in your mouth, the tooth being treated needs to be dry for the filling material to set correctly, or the impression material to pick up all the surface detail needed to make a well fitting crown, rather than wet saliva containing air bubbles. If you would like to submit a question for consideration to the
practice, to be used on the website, please click
here. |
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| So how can I be sure all the instruments the dentist uses in my mouth are clean? | |||||
| At The Eversley Road Dental Practice,
where possible, we use disposable instruments and accessories. Obviously,
needles are single use, but so are saliva ejectors, 3-in-1 syringe
tips, mouthwash cups and bibs. Surfaces touched by the dentist, handles
on the instrument table for instance, are covered with barriers which
are thrown away between each patient. Instruments that are re-used
are sterilised in an autoclave at 137OC and stored in bags or on trays
until needed.
For a more detailed description of what happens in the surgery between patients, download a copy of the Autumn 2006 newsletter. If you would like to submit a question for consideration to the
practice, to be used on the website, please click
here. |
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| So what else the dentist look at other than my teeth, when I have a check-up? | |||||
| When you sit in the chair for
a check up, the dentist will ask you if you have any medical problems,
or if you are taking any medication. He will also ask you if you have
any dental problems you wish to discuss. In particular, he will ask
if your mouth is comfortable, whether eating and talking are OK and
whether you are happy with the appearance of your teeth. While he
is talking to you, the dentist will be looking at your face, to see
if there any obvious swellings or asymmetries, and to see that your
facial muscles are working normally. Once your mouth is open, the dentist will (not necessarily in this order) check your teeth, and any restorations (crowns, bridges, fillings) for any sign of decay, deficiencies or fractures. He will then check your gums, to see if there is any bleeding, pocketing or calculus present. The dentist will then examine the soft tissues of your mouth – the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, lips and hard and soft palate for signs of ulceration or trauma. Then he will check for abnormal glands in your neck and under your jaw and finally, check your tempero-mandibular joint is not tender or clicking. All this will be recorded on your records – you will probably hear the dentist talking to the nurse while the examination takes place – and when that’s all finished, the dentist will tell you what he found (you are cleaning your teeth well!) or perhaps suggest some further tests, such as X-rays of your teeth. If you would like to submit a question for consideration to the
practice, to be used on the website, please click
here. |
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| So what does a dental hygienist do? | |||||
| Hygienists are an important part
of the team at The Eversley Road Dental Practice. They work to an
individual prescription, given by the dentist, for each patient.
Hygienists are responsible for the prevention and treatment of both gum disease and early decay and other preventive therapies, helping you, the patient, to keep your mouth healthy and your plaque levels under control. Plaque and calculus (plaque which has become calcified onto your teeth) can cause gum disease and decay. They will clean any tartar from your teeth, and show you different ways to prevent the build up of plaque and tartar. Hygienists can apply fluoride varnish to early decay, to prevent the cavity getting bigger, and they will discuss with you the importance of a healthy diet to prevent further decay in your teeth. If prescribed by the dentist, they can also apply fissure sealants and other non-invasive therapies. If you would like to submit a question for consideration to the
practice, to be used on the website, please click
here. |
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| So how often should I go to the dentist for a check-up? | |||||
| How often you go to the dentist
for a check-up depends on several factors. Primarily, it depends on
how at-risk you are of developing problems with your teeth or gums,
or indeed, any other part of your mouth. If for instance, you have
a new cavity in one of your teeth, then we would probably suggest
a shorter recall time, until we have eliminated the cause of that
new cavity and reduced the risk of another one starting.
Similarly, with gum problems, if there any places where your gums bleed or your toothbrushing is not too good, then a shorter recall interval is indicated. If we have seen you regularly over a number of years and never seen any new holes in your teeth, and your plaque removal techniques are really good, then a longer interval is OK. If you would like to submit a question for consideration to the
practice, to be used on the website, please click
here. |
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 Page last updated November 20, 2006 |
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