// BLOG
Expecting Soon?
September 5, 2011
If you are a new mother, or will be one soon, then you should know that your smile is key to having a healthy baby.
On top of feeling good about having a brand new bundle of joy, your teeth and gums should reflect good oral hygiene, which has been linked to health care measures to prevent premature birth in expectant women.
You need another reason to be happy about giving birth, good teeth and gums are at the top of the list so you and your baby are healthy.
Dentists at Confidental emphasise the need for good oral hygiene and dental care before and during pregnancy. In addition, a number of studies have found that pregnant women with periodontal disease – a more serious form of the gum infection gingivitis – are more likely to have a preterm or low birth-weight baby. Preventing oral disease is key to overall health, dentists say. And that not only includes improving access to dental care but making changes at home.
According to Baby World, some mothers often worry that dental treatment during pregnancy is not safe. This is not true. There should be no difficulties in maintaining your routine dental programme during pregnancy, and it is in fact strongly advised.
Due to hormone changes, some women’s dental health may require closer attention at this time. One of the more frequent problems is that you could start to notice your gums begin to bleed easier than before and more often.
Hormone changes during pregnancy increase the risk inflamed gums, and as a result, they will bleed.
The best course of action to prevent this is to maintain a strong level of oral hygiene and go to the dentist for regular check-ups as often as recommended.
This could include visits to the Confidental’s hygienist for a comprehensive clean. They will also be able to give you further advice on how to care for your teeth when you are at home.
Even though visiting the dentist is essential during pregnancy, some dental-related treatments are probably best left until after the birth.
For instance, the Department of Health recommends that if you require need an amalgam filling, or a top-up of an old filling, that it waits until after the child is born. Additionally, if you require for any reason, a dental X-ray during pregnancy, dentists will generally avoid this until after the birth also.
Another vital point for pregnant women in maintaining good oral health is that you must have a healthy and balanced diet. Getting all the required vitamins and minerals into the body has an overwhelmingly positive effect on the development of the baby’s overall bodily health and dental health.
A good idea would be to cut out sugary snacks and drinks between meals to prevent your teeth from decaying.
So before you try for a baby, make an appointment with a dentist at Confidental to check your teeth and gums. This way, any problems can be rectified, and if you need a filling, this can be done before you are carrying a baby.
Make sure you are brushing daily, flossing and using mouthwash (alcohol free!) to keep your mouth healthy before you conceive. If your toothpaste is making you feel sick during your morning sickness stage, switch to a bland tasting brand.
The dentists at Confidental will be able to advise one to you. As stomach acid is damaging to teeth, rinse your mouth with water following sickness.
While pregnant, if you have suffered from any gum disease or bleeding gums during pregnancy, it’s important to see your dentist after you have given birth to have your oral hygiene re-examined. Again, amalgam fillings are not advised for breastfeeding mothers.
If you’re not registered with a dentist, Look for Confidental, the number should be in your phone book, or look online. You will be able to visit us at Confidental without waiting too long. Another option would be to look at our discount scheme. With a very inexpensive membership fee, you can sign up and see a participating dental practitioner immediately at Confidental.
One of the few discount dental schemes in the UK is through Healthy Discounts, and you and your family can participate for not a lot of money. If you are pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy soon, one of these plans may help you speed up the process of maintaining proper oral hygiene. Remember, life is precious, especially when you are dealing with babies. It’s in your best interest and that of your child to keep your smile in great shape. You’ll have more than one reason to do so. Love your smile, and love your baby.
Click to comment(0)Back to school and kids’ lunches
August 23, 2011
A little meal-time forethought can go a long way toward maintaining a child’s oral health and educational performance.
Confidental, reminds parents to take care when packing a child’s school lunch.
It’s no secret that poor nutritional habits in children are a serious problem in this country.
Sugary treats like cookies, candy and fruit snacks mix with bacteria in the sticky plaque that constantly forms on teeth to generate acid, which can wear away enamel and cause tooth decay.
Gooey or chewy sweets are particularly damaging because they spend a prolonged amount of time stuck to teeth.
Sweets may provide a temporary jolt for kids, but that sugar rush soon turns into a crash and kids are left feeling lethargic. That is not the kind of mental state kids need to be in to be attentive for afternoon classes.
‘Sweets in general contain too many calories from fats and sugars and very few beneficial nutrients,’ said Dr William Kohn, DDPA’s vice president of dental science and public policy.
‘Limiting sugar intake will not only be good for children’s teeth, but for their overall health.’
Instead, Delta Dental recommends packing healthy snacks like fresh fruit and veggies, baked chips or whole-grain crackers in your kid’s lunch. Unhealthy snacks like cookies are acceptable only in moderation.
‘At the end of a year, simple substitutions at snack time like water instead of a sugary drink, or an apple and carrots instead of a candy bar, will add up to a lot of saved calories and a much healthier diet’
‘Almost all tooth decay can be prevented with a healthy diet, good toothbrushing habits, and regular visits to the dentist for preventive care.’
Click to comment(0)Confidental Gears Up for National Smile Month – Have you got the Smile Factor?
May 17, 2011
Confidental Gears Up for National Smile Month – Have you got the Smile Factor?
15th May 2011 – 15th June 2011
May sees the launch of National Smile month which is an annual education campaign in association with the British Dental Health Foundation. It aims to promote looking after teeth and maintaining them for life. This year there is the ‘Smile Factor’ as the campaign theme.
It has the following key messages:
• Find out Your Dental Scores, confidental’s team do this assessment naturally on very exam visit
visit The Dental Scores Website
• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride is added to most toothpastes to help prevent decay. Using a fluoride toothpaste will also help to strengthen your teeth. It is important to remember that the main cause of tooth decay is not the amount of sugar and acid in the diet, but how often it is eaten or drunk. Thorough brushing for two minutes, twice a day – before breakfast and particularly last thing at night – will prevent tooth decay.
• Cut down on how often you have sugary food and drinks
A balanced healthy diet is really important to care for your teeth and general health. Sugary foods can contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease and obesity. Fizzy drinks can increase the risk of dental problems. Even fruit smoothies can be bad for your teeth, coating them in sugar and acid, which can cause both tooth decay and erosion. In recent years monitoring what you eat has become easier
with improvements to nutrition information labelling on food products. And the range of healthier food products to choose from is continuing to improve. It is recommended that you eat at least five portions of different types of fruit and vegetables a day. It is also better for your teeth and general health if you eat three meals a day instead of having seven to 10 snack attacks. Remember, sugary drinks are particularly harmful to teeth. Where possible try sugar-free drinks, or drink safe alternatives like water and milk.
• Visit the dentist regularly as often as they recommend
Regular dental visits are really important to look after your health. With the help of your dentist, dental nurses, hygienists, oral health educators and therapists, people can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease – the main causes of fillings and tooth loss. And it is not just about caring for your teeth. Scientific research continues to prove a link between gum disease and heart disease, strokes, diabetes, breast cancer and premature babies.
Trick Or Treat – Limit The Sugar Damage
October 28, 2010
With Halloween fast approaching and the increase in the appeal of trick or treat in this country put some thought into the damage you could be causing the young tricksters and go for treats that are less harmful to their teeth.
The worst type of sweets are those that stick to the teeth like caramels and toffee. They are almost impossible to remove without brushing and flossing and the sugar in them feeds bacteria which causes tooth decay. As far as sour sweets are concerned you are actually better off NOT brushing straight away because this will scrub the acid they contain into your teeth. Have a drink of water and rinse around the mouth first.
The best option (other than a sugar free gum) is chocolate, but of course it still contains sugar so is best kept to a minimum. So try to limit the damage by offering small treats and steering away from the sticky and sour varieties.
Click to comment(0)The Harsh Facts About Mouth Cancer
October 1, 2010
Here’s a frightening statistic for you – one person in the UK dies from mouth cancer every five hours. Over the last decade cases of mouth cancer have risen by 41% and it seems that lack of public awareness is part of the reason for this rise, meaning that about 70% of mouth cancers are detected at a late stage, reducing the chances of survival. Catching mouth cancer early is very important – that’s why we routinely conduct a soft tissue check during patient check ups. We also encourage patients to keep an eye on their mouths between appointments and to let us know if they are concerned about any unusual symptoms. These include ulcers that don’t heal within three weeks, red or white patches and any other unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth. November is Mouth Cancer Action Month which seeks to raise awareness of mouth cancer and urges people to get screened, so pop in and make an appointment to get checked out and we can work to lower these frightening statistics.