Ask the Dentist

You must take you daughter to a dentist promptly as her teeth are black with decay & she has pain. Choose a dentist who is good with young children or consider a specialist paedodontist. Otherwise you may need to be referred to the children's department of a teaching hospital. It sounds that there is too much sugar in her diet & not enough brushing carried out by her parents (not your daughter). Alter her diet straight away, removing sweet drinks, foods, confectionery, cakes & biscuits .Brush her teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste & consider fluoride drops or tablets prescribed by the dentist to strengthen the teeth & stop this high decay rate in her first teeth & hopefully her adult teeth later.

26 April 2012

By Jonathan Portner

You could try Flossing is not absolutely necessary to maintain optimal dental health, but some form of cleaning between your teeth is. Plaque, a microscopic living biofilm of bacteria sticks tenaciously to the teeth & gums in the tiny gap where the gums & teeth join. When we eat or drink, sugars are broken down by the bacteria & the acid produced attacks our teeth & gums, causing caries (tooth decay) & gingivitis (gum disease).To prevent these common dental diseases it is important to remove the plaque daily. Tooth brushing alone is not enough. Flossing with floss held on your fingers can be mastered if you are coached by a hygienist ,even if you find it difficult. However, there are other alternative products. Some people prefer flossers or floss picks which are plastic devices with floss built in & glide easily between the teeth. My patients prefer Glide Floss Picks which are very well designed & easy to use. Otherwise there are many interdental brushes which are easy to use, but again it is important to be shown the right brushes by a hygienist for your mouth & how to use them. With a healthy low sugar diet & optimal dental hygiene it is possible to prevent fillings & have healthy gums.

July 22 2011

By Jonathan Portner

I would be concerned about the symptoms you describe & ask for more information about the diagnosis & the cause. Your dentist should give you a written treatment plan & estimate so you know what's going on. You will probably need oral antibiotics, root canal treatments & crowns. If not, 1 or more teeth may need to be removed.

19 April 2012

By Jonathan Portner

The gingiva is the medical term for the gums & the pointed part in between the teeth is called the papilla.Sounds like the papilla has become detached & you have a form of gingivitis which frequently occurs without pain.You would need to provide more information for me to explain fully,for example do your gums bleeed on brushing,do you floss or use interdental brushes or do you have bad breath?These are some of the signs of gingivitis.I prefer bonded wire retainers to plastic removable orthodontic retainers.The teeth may have moved or the retainer is impinging on the gingiva causing it to become detached.the best advice is for you to see your dentist promptly.

27 April 2012

By Jonathan Portner