Author: superuser

Do you or your children participate in sports? Then read on. As an athlete or a parent, you’ve probably heard about mouth guards, the flexible piece of plastic you can wear over your teeth. Mouthguards are not required for every sport, so it can be easy to forget about it or let it slide, but it is estimated that over 3 million teeth are knocked out every year in kids’ sports! Mouth guards significantly minimize the risk of sports injuries to the mouth and jaw and while it is obvious that a mouth guard is beneficial during collision and contact sports, you may not be aware of the benefits of wearing a mouth guard for other sports to. Basically, for any sport where there is a risk of face contact with other people or surfaces, a mouth guard can reduce the risk of suffering a dental injury.

So, although mouth guards may not be the coolest thing to wear, there are three big benefits that may quickly change your mind.

1. Protect your teeth

Without a mouth guard, your teeth are more likely to be chipped, broken teeth or even get knocked out (tooth loss). Saving you money in the long run, by reducing the risk of needing root canals, dental crowns, bridges, dental implants and splinting or TMJ treatments.

2. Protect your face and mouth

A mouth guard can prevent bruising and cuts to the lip, tongue, or face. This is especially important for anyone with a fixed orthodontic appliance.

3. Protect against other serious injuries

This includes root, bone damage and jaw fractures. Mouth guards can help avoid a situation where the lower jaw jams into the upper jaw. Also, mouth guards may reduce the severity of concussions by acting as a buffer to a blow.

For more information about protecting your teeth during sports or athletic activities, talk to your Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre dentist at your next appointment. They will be able to help you select the most effective protection for your specific needs. Call today on 01622 682 029 to book your appointment.

With all the children now thinking about heading back to school, we look at the vital part a good oral hygiene routine plays in keeping teeth healthy from an early age.

In this article we look at some of the common problems in achieving this and tips to ensure your children’s teeth stay in tip top condition.

• Not brushing thoroughly

It is common for children to rush through brushing their teeth, meaning that parts of their mouths are missed.

Get your child to imagine their mouth is divided into four segments and they need to brush each segment for 30 seconds. This will mean that it is more likely that they will brush all the surfaces of their teeth.If you think they have missed any teeth, follow up by brushing their teeth yourself when they have finished.

• Not brushing for long enough

Many young children have no concept of how long two minutes is. A great way to ensuring that they are brushing for the required length of time is to introduce a fun timer using their favourite song, an egg timer, or an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer. This way they get a clear idea of how long they need to be brushing their teeth for.

• Not wanting to brush their teeth

Making brushing fun is the best way to ensure successful brushing.

1. You could allow them to pick their own toothbrush with a favourite cartoon character on it.
2. Make a special toothbrush holder with stickers and coloured paper
3. Brush along to a favourite song
4. Fill in a brushing reward chart every day leading to a reward at the end of the month

Top tips for children’s teeth brushing

• Use a toothbrush recommended by your dental team and get your children to choose their favourite colours or characters
• Use a suitable fluoride strength toothpaste for their age group:

Under three years old – 1000ppm

Over three years old – 1350-1500ppm

• Find a toothpaste that they like the flavour of
• Children easily swallow toothpaste, so it is best to use a smear of toothpaste for babies and children up to three years of age, and a pea-sized blob for children aged three to six
• Brush for two minutes, twice a day. This should be last thing at night and on one other occasion during the day – usually in the morning.
• Divide brushing into four sections in the mouth and brush each quadrant for 30 seconds – upper left, upper right, lower right, lower left.
• Brush in a circular motion and brush each surface of each tooth – tops and sides.
• Spit the toothpaste out after brushing but do not rinse. Rinsing washes away the protective fluoride

If you would like some more help and advice on ensuring your children’s teeth stay healthy, call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre on 01622 682 029 and book an appointment today, all our staff are highly experienced dealing with children and can ensure that any visit is fun and stress free!

The key risk factors for students heading off to university regarding their oral health are from excessive alcohol consumption, caffeine dependence and a poor diet.

The team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre have therefore come up with some top tips to ensure that you can enjoy university without worrying about your oral health.

• Oral hygiene routine

Be sure to brush your teeth twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste and clean inter-dentally daily. This will help to ensure that you remove any food and plaque trapped between teeth, where brushing alone misses, reducing the risk of gum disease and tooth decay

• Use a straw

Sounds silly right? Drinking from a straw helps prevent stains because you avoid direct contact with the front of your teeth. It also reduces the time harmful acids are in contact with your teeth reducing the risk of acid erosion.

• Limit your sugar intake

Sugar is one of the biggest factors that contribute to tooth decay. While having sugar in your diet is essential, most people tend to have too much. Try to limit sugar to mealtimes wherever possible and avoid constantly grazing on sweet treats to help reduce the risk of tooth decay.

• Donot constantly sip

Sugar in wine, mixed drinks and fizzy drinks combine with bacteria in your mouth to form acid which then attack the teeth. This ‘attack’ generally has a life span of 20 minutes so every time you take another sip, the cycle restarts. The long-term effect is weakened enamel and susceptibility to tooth decay.

• Visit the dentist

Whether you choose to register with a dentist at university or remain with your dentist at home, it is important that you attend for regular, routine appointments as often as your dentist recommends to maintain your oral health.

Want to ensure that you can hit the ground running when you arrive at University? Why not book in for a routine dental appointment and ensure that your oral health is top notch before you go. Call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre on 01622 682 029 today to book your appointment.

Gum disease is a swelling, soreness or infection of the tissues supporting the teeth. The initial stage of gum disease is gingivitis and if left untreated it can progress to periodontal disease which is irreversible. Gingivitis is where the gums around the teeth become very red and swollen and the gums will often bleed when they are brushed.

Gum disease is caused by poor oral hygiene which allows plaque to build up on the surface of teeth and gums. As well as affecting your teeth and gums, poor oral health can cause or make worse heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and lung disease. Gum disease is also the leading cause of tooth loss in adults in the UK

Signs of Gum disease

Gum disease may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs, even in the late stages of the disease. Although the symptoms of periodontal disease often are subtle, the condition is not entirely without warning signs. Certain symptoms may point to some form of the disease. The symptoms of gum disease include:

• Inflammation of the gums, causing them to be red, swollen and to bleed easily, especially when brushing
• An unpleasant taste in your mouth
• Bad breath
• Receding gums
• Loose teeth
• Regular mouth infections
• Changes in the way teeth fit together upon biting down, or in the fit of partial dentures

If you notice any of these signs you should speak to your dentist who will be able to investigate further.

Keeping your smile healthy

During a dental exam, your dentist typically checks for these things:

• Gum bleeding, swelling, firmness, and pocket depth (the space between the gum and tooth; the larger and deeper the pocket, the more severe the disease)
• Teeth movement and sensitivity and proper teeth alignment
• Your jawbone, to help detect the breakdown of bone surrounding your teeth

The goals of gum disease treatment are to promote reattachment of healthy gums to teeth; reduce swelling, the depth of pockets, and the risk of infection; and to stop disease progression.Your dental team will remove all the plaque from your teeth and advise you on the best dental aids to use to maintain your oral hygiene routine in between visits. The best way to prevent gum disease is to put in place a good oral hygiene routine.

• Brush your teeth twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean your teeth interdentally daily using floss, tape, or interdental brushes
• Stop smoking
• Attend for regular dental appointments

If you are at all concerned about your teeth or believe you may be suffering with gum disease call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre on 01622 682 029 and book an appointment for a consultation today