Dental Health and Dentistry

Initial Consultation

Any lasting relationship needs to start with good first impressions. This is also true in dentistry. Meeting a new dentist for the first time can be a little unnerving, not knowing what to expect.

At East Sussex Dental Care we try to make this first visit as informal and relaxed as possible. At this New Patient Consultation the aim is to gather all the information we need, about your existing dental condition, along with any concerns or desires you may have, in order to be able to construct a comprehensive treatment plan personal to each individual. A written plan will be provided, along with fees associated with each part of that treatment plan.

The New Patient Consultation will involve a full dental examination, as well as taking some digital dental photographs, which can provide useful visual information when discussing treatment options. Any necessary radiographs are taken at this visit, using the latest digital equipment.

We encourage any new patient to take time to consider their treatment options, along with cost implications, so that an informed choice can be made over any proposed treatment. We want you to be comfortable with any decisions you make, as some dentistry, especially Cosmetic, can have a life-changing effect.

Hygienist Care

The role of the hygienist in modern dentistry has increased in importance in recent years, to become an indispensable member of the dental team. We are all keen to keep our own teeth as long as possible and the hygienist provides the necessary care, alongside the dentist, in treating gum disease to help prevent early tooth loss. Gum disease has also been linked to general health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and pneumonia, making the dental hygienist an even greater key ‘player’ in the overall maintenance of a healthy body.

The hygienists at East Sussex Dental Care work in conjunction with Dr Norman, forming joint diagnosis and treatment plans and, also, are able to carry out more complex individual treatments, if necessary using local anaesthetic. All patients, including children, are encouraged to visit the hygienists regularly, as everyone can benefit from their expertise in maintaining a healthy smile.

Cosmetic Dentistry

This form of dental treatment concentrates on improving the appearance of peoples’ teeth and, so, allow them to be able to smile with more confidence. A great smile can lead to life-changing experiences!Cosmetic dentistry, however, must be carried out with the overall health of the mouth in mind and should be done as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to improve, not only, appearance but, also, function and proper maintainance.
Before Tooth Whitening	After Tooth Whitening
Treatment can employ several techniques, such as Tooth Whitening and Direct Bonding of restorative materials to tooth surfaces to hide imperfections, unsightly fillings or restore worn foreshortened teeth. This can, often, be carried out in one visit with very little drilling and, sometimes, without any local anaesthetic. More advanced Smile Design cases can take several visits, after careful planning. Teeth are ‘prepared’ by cutting away a small quantity of the enamel surface and ceramic crowns or veneers, prepared in a dental laboratory, are bonded on to the teeth.
Before Smile Makeover	After Smile Makeover
Aesthetic results, achieved with these techniques, can be stunning and, with proper care and maintenance, can last for many years.
Before Bridge	After Bridge

Cross Infection

With cross infection control causing major concerns in many healthcare establishments across the country, at East Sussex Dental Care we take this worrying problem very seriously indeed. We use disposable materials and items of equipment wherever possible. Our sterilisation equipment, used for cleaning non-disposable instruments, is the very latest design and exceeds current infection control requirements. All surfaces are carefully disinfected between each patient. To allow us to maintain this level of cross infection control, time is allowed, within each appointment, to prepare the surgery between patients. To carry out treatment quicker and cheaper, inevitably means cutting corners with cross infection control.

Smoking

Damage to heart and lungs, caused by smoking, is well documented. However, many smokers do not realise the significant damage this habit can cause to their mouths. Recent studies show that, smokers who suffer from gum disease, and continue to smoke, can increase the effects by 700%, compared with those who do not smoke at all. Unfortunately, it is not only our gums which suffer. Smoking damages the salivary glands, which are in the soft tissues of the mouth. As the salivary glands deteriorate, the flow of saliva is reduced and the mouth becomes very dry. Saliva is the body’s natural defence against tooth decay so, people who suffer from dry mouths find their level of tooth decay increasing. Smoking, also, greatly increases the risk of throat and mouth cancer, stains teeth, damages taste buds, which lie in the tongue and palate, and causes bad breath. All very good ‘dental’ reasons to give up smoking! Help is available for people trying to stop smoking on the following website links. We will be pleased to be of help if you wish to discuss any problems you may have, with regard to giving up smoking. Action on Smoking and Health: www.ash.org.uk Quit: www.quit.org.uk

Rubber Dam

Some of you may have already experienced dental treatment carried out using a Rubber Dam and realised the benefits to both patient and dentist.

What is a Rubber Dam?
A rubber dam is a flat thin square sheet of latex rubber (or non-latex if you suffer from an allergy), stretched across a plastic frame. A hole, or holes, are punched in the sheet to allow the teeth to be treated to protrude through, while the other teeth and mouth cavity are covered. The rubber dam is held in place by a metal, or plastic, clamp placed over an individual adjacent tooth, and tucked down between the teeth by using floss to push it between the contact points.

Rubber Dam in use

Benefits of using a Rubber Dam
The use of rubber dam has become almost mandatory in some areas of dentistry, especially root canal treatment. Rubber dam acts as a protective barrier between the teeth to be operated on and the mouth cavity. Cheeks, lips and tongue are protected and held out of the way during treatment. It serves as a barrier, so that your mouth and throat are protected from swallowing tiny instruments and medicaments used in root canal treatment, and old amalgam filling material when it is removed to be replaced by a new restoration. The tooth, or teeth, to be treated are protected from contamination by saliva and associated bacteria. This is especially important in carrying out root canal treatment, when saliva entering a root canal can introduce bacteria which would not normally be present, making the final outcome more unpredictable. Also, modern tooth coloured filling materials need a clean, dry environment to allow for successful placement. Any moisture, even in air exhaled from the mouth, can weaken the bonding materials used in these fillings. Rubber dam has been found to significantly reduce the risk of cross-infection by reducing aerosol contamination when using a high-speed drill.

We are aware that some patients may find a rubber dam in place to be a strange sensation to begin with. It may seem mildly uncomfortable, sometimes restrictive. However, breathing and swallowing can be carried out normally but without the fear of inhaling or swallowing foreign objects. You, very often, do not need to open as wide, or for consistently long periods, with a rubber dam in place. We always allow a short time for you to acclimatize to the feel before commencing treatment and all but a very few accept and realise the benefits of its use on their behalf.

Childrens’ Dentistry

Here at East Sussex Dental Care we place great importance on the treatment of children and provide the same quality of private care as that given to adults. By introducing your children to the world of modern dentistry at a young age, parents are providing them with the benefits of the professional care and instruction they need to ensure their dental health later in life.

We encourage regular dental check-ups and visits to our Hygienists, usually from about three years old, in order to familiarise children with the environment and to be able to detect problems as soon as possible. At these sessions children and parents are given instruction in cleaning their teeth and advice in what is a sensible diet, in order to avoid tooth decay.

We like to establish good habits early and provide a friendly, relaxed atmosphere to make your children comfortable in what can be, sometimes, ‘awesome’ surroundings. Time is taken to gain the young ones confidence and make their visit as enjoyable as possible. They can watch children’s TV, or a DVD, in the waiting room, as well as in the dental chair, while undergoing any treatment!

Payment for children’s treatment can be made on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis, for which there is a separate fee list, or we have a Child Maintenance Scheme option, which covers bi-annual visits to both Dentist and Hygienist and includes a 10% reduction on any treatment costs. This scheme involves a monthly payment.

We can provide all forms of dental treatment for children, including mouth-guards for school or club sports. Any specialist treatment, including Orthodontics (straightening teeth) is referred to the relevant specialist practice of your choice.

‘Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body’

This saying has been proven to be very true by recent scientific research, which suggests that health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, oral cancer, diabetes, ulcers and pneumonia can originate in the mouth. An oral infection can affect the entire body and there is increasing evidence that small dental infections may contribute to several diseases.

There are many different bacteria in the mouth that can enter the bloodstream through damaged gums and can be especially dangerous to people who have heart disease or diabetes. These bacteria can infect the liver, causing it to produce proteins which clog arteries or can directly infect artery walls causing blockages and, ultimately, heart failure.

Diabetics are well aware that their diabetes can cause kidney and heart disease and often leads to blindness. Diabetics fighting infection causes their insulin to work less efficiently raising blood sugar levels. Gum disease, with associated infection, can make the management of their diabetes more difficult.

There is evidence that bacteria, living naturally in dental plaque, can cause stomach ulcers and, with every breath you take in, bugs that can cause respiratory diseases are sucked down into the lungs. If the body’s resistance is lowered, such as during an illness or after major surgery, the lungs could be affected by plaque build up around the teeth harbouring these bacteria.

Recent research has discovered a link between the loss of teeth at a young age and possible Alzheimer’s disease in later life. Brain disease can occur as a result of tooth loss due to gum disease or, as some scientists believe, due to the associated inflammation. Early exposure to this gum inflammation increases this risk of developing Alzheimer’s four-fold. Although inherited genes are the biggest risk factor for developing the disease, infections such as gum disease are of significant importance.

Personal health is an increasing concern in today’s media world, with new discoveries being made constantly. With strong co-operation between patient, dentist and hygienist, much can be done to reduce the incidence of oral diseases and so help to achieve ‘healthy people’.

At East Sussex Dental Care we believe that strong health education, personal and professional, are vital to achieve caries prevention, dietary advice to keep sugar and carbohydrate intake within strict guidelines, brushing instruction using fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse, and encouragement to attend regular dental and hygiene visits in order to be able to diagnose early, and treat, any sign of oral disease. By so doing, with this team approach to creating a ‘Healthy Mouth’, a ‘Healthy Body’ can be better guaranteed!