FAQs

Bleeding gums can stem from a variety of causes including:

• Gingivitis – this is the early stage of gum disease, caused by the bacteria in plaque. It can lead to swollen, tender gums that may also bleed.
• Medications – certain medications, such as blood thinners, can cause the gums to bleed.
• A new flossing regime – starting to floss more frequently may cause bleeding, but this should soon subside if you stick with it.
• Pregnancy – hormonal changes in pregnancy can make women more susceptible to gum disease, which may cause bleeding.

How we can help: Hygiene services

Teeth can move out of line for a number of reasons including:

• Age – natural tooth movement can occur throughout your life and as you get older, you may find your teeth start to shift a little.
• Lost teeth – existing teeth can start to move into the gaps created by lost teeth.
• Advanced gum disease – this can cause pockets to develop around teeth, leading to movement.

How we can help: Hygiene services, Bridges, Mouth guards, Teeth straightening

Tooth loss can be caused by:

• Gum disease – this is the chief cause of tooth loss as it affects the supporting structures.
• Not attending regular check-ups – we won’t be able to spot the early signs of tooth loss if you don’t come and see us regularly.
• Tooth decay – if untreated, this can lead to infection of the pulp (the inner part of the tooth).
• Poor diet – a lack of certain nutrients can lead to a lowered resistance to infection and weakened teeth.
• Diabetes – this auto-immune condition can cause increased plaque formation and a higher risk of gum disease.
• Teeth grinding – also known as bruxism, this can wear down teeth and put excess force on the supporting tissues, which can lead to bone loss.
• Smoking – this can reduce the blood flow in the gums which can worsen gum disease.

How we can help: Hygiene services, Root canal therapy, White fillings

Even if you brush your teeth regularly, you may not be doing it properly, which means you could leave troublesome plaque deposits behind. The following tips should help keep your teeth suitably shiny:

• Brush at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, especially first thing in the morning and before you go to bed.
• Brush for at least two minutes (use a timer if it helps!).
• Use short, gentle strokes and don’t forget to brush at the gum line and in difficult to reach areas.
• Divide your mouth into sections and clean each one thoroughly before moving to the next.
• Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gum line and then roll the brush away.
• Remember to brush all tooth surfaces.

How we can help: Hygiene services

Little teeth need plenty of care to ensure they stay decay-free, but remember to make brushing fun so your children associate keeping their teeth clean with a positive experience. Here are some tooth cleaning tips for youngsters:

• Start the brushing habit as soon as teeth start to appear, usually around 6 months.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste – when children are under three just use a smear of paste and when 3-6 years old, progress to a pea-sized amount.
• Use a fun timer to make sure teeth are brushed for long enough.
• Supervise your child’s brushing until they are around seven or eight. You can let them brush their own teeth occasionally, as long as you supervise and help them out.

How we can help: Hygiene services

Raw vegetables and fruit are ideal snacks for youngsters. Carrot sticks and bananas are a great choice, but avoid dried fruit as this contains lots of sugar and can get stuck on the teeth. Water and milk are the healthiest drinks for thirsty little ones.

It’s a good idea to limit snacking and serve occasional sweet treats as part of a meal, reducing the amount of time that harmful acids are in contact with the teeth.

As early as possible! The sooner your little ones come and see us, the less worried they will be about visiting the dentist. Attending dental check-ups while they are very young will help children get used to sitting in the dentist’s chair, having their teeth examined and the dental environment in general.

Childsmile is a government funded initiative designed to improve the oral health of children in Scotland and to promote the provision of accessible dental care. Its various elements include supervised brushing and a holistic approach to healthy living in nurseries, a child-centred NHS dental service for all children, including those from vulnerable families, and fluoride varnish applications in nurseries and schools within deprived areas.

At Diamond Dental, we fully support the aims of Childsmile to help youngsters maintain healthy teeth for life.

Follow these steps:

• Wind 15-18 inches of floss around the middle fingers of each hand and pull tightly.
• Guide this length of floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion.
• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape and slide it into the space between gum and tooth.
• Hold the floss firmly against the tooth and move this up and down. Use a fresh piece of floss for each space between your teeth.

Any problems? We can show you the most effective way to floss.

How we can help: Hygiene services

These little brushes have narrow heads with tiny bristles and are specially designed to keep the gaps between your teeth nice and clean. They come in different sizes so make sure you choose the correct width for the specific space.

Use interdental brushes at least once a day, preferably in the evening. Move the wee brush gently back and forth in the space. You may want to curve the brushes slightly for easier access to the back teeth.

Any problems? We can show you how to clean between your teeth with interdental brushes.

How we can help: Hygiene services

There are numerous reasons why you may be feeling pain in your teeth including:

• Pulpitis – this is inflammation of the pulp tissue at the centre of your tooth, usually caused by infection, which may have resulted from tooth decay. A common symptom of pulpitis is increased sensitivity, especially to extremes of hot and cold.
• Abscess – this is an infection that forms inside a tooth or the bone that holds the teeth in place. Symptoms can include an intense throbbing and red, swollen gums.
• Cracked tooth – this can result from grinding or clenching of the teeth, a misaligned bite, large fillings or root canal therapy. Pain is often felt when you bite into food or when teeth are exposed to extremes of temperature.
• Impacted tooth – this is a tooth that does not emerge properly through the gum. Wisdom teeth can often become impacted and lead to pain and possible infection.
• Gum disease – this is a very common condition, caused by plaque, which can lead to gum inflammation and soreness. If allowed to progress, chewing can also become painful and teeth may feel sensitive.
• Sensitive teeth – if the dentine part of the tooth starts to show through, either through a loss of enamel or recession of the gums, extremes of temperature and certain foods can cause discomfort.

If you have a painful dental problem and you are one of our existing patients, we can offer you an emergency appointment within 24 hours of your initial call. We aim to see you on the same day and put time aside for emergency appointments every day. We can also see new patients who require urgent attention for £50 plus the cost of any necessary treatment.

How we can help: Emergency appointments, Dentures, Bridges, Hygiene appointments

We can offer a number of options to replace your missing teeth and restore your smile. These include:

• Dentures – our realistic looking false teeth can replace a complete arch of teeth (full dentures) or fill in a few gaps (partial dentures).
• Bridges – these consist of a false tooth positioned between two crowns which span the gap left by one or more missing teeth, effectively filling in any unsightly spaces.
• Implants – titanium implants replace the roots of missing teeth. If you have no teeth at all, four implants can be placed in each jaw to hold dentures securely in place. We can refer you to a colleague for implant placement and you can return to Diamond Dental Care to have a crown or denture fitted to the implant.

How we can help: Dentures, Bridges

There could be a number of reasons why your teeth are looking a little off-colour including:

• Your age – as we get older stains can build up on our teeth and the enamel can start to thin which allows the darker underlying dentine to show through.
• Smoking – the nicotine and tar in tobacco can turn teeth yellow, and even brown if you smoke excessively.
• Food and drink – heavily pigmented food and drinks, such as red wine, coffee and blueberries, can stain your teeth.
• Medication – certain medications, including some antibiotics, can darken teeth.
• Genetics – you may have simply inherited more yellow-looking enamel.
• Poor oral hygiene – regular brushing and flossing can cause a build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth, making them look discoloured.

How we can help: Teeth whitening, Hygiene services, Veneers

You can treat yourself to our professionally overseen teeth whitening procedure. This is a safe, effective method using customised mouth trays, carried out in the comfort of your own home.

Interested in achieving a brighter, whiter smile? Find out how we can help: Teeth whitening

Yes, if carried out by dental professionals. The General Dental Council considers teeth whitening and the giving of whitening advice to be a ‘practice of dentistry’. As we are a registered dental practice, we can perform this cosmetic procedure both safely and effectively. This includes thoroughly examining your teeth prior to whitening and carefully overseeing the whitening process.

Thanks to our skills and experience, and our use of high quality products and equipment, we can brighten your smile without any unwanted side effects or damage to your teeth. Remember, your smile is precious, so only trust it to those in the know.

Interested in achieving whiter teeth more safely? Find out how we can help: Teeth whitening

It’s a good idea to avoid very hot or extremely cold food and drink straight after teeth whitening to limit any sensitivity. One of the best ways to reduce any discomfort is to have your teeth whitened by a dental professional as they are best placed to carry out the procedure safely and effectively.

Although we can provide white fillings on the NHS, this only applies if they are used on the front six teeth. However, if you are unhappy with unsightly amalgam fillings or need any back teeth restored, why not ask for a quote and benefit from less noticeable white ones.

Interested in having less obvious fillings? Find out how we can help: White fillings

Worn teeth are common and can have a number of causes, including teeth clenching, a misaligned bite, aggressive brushing or erosion of the enamel. We can build up teeth using cosmetic bonding or improve their appearance with crowns or veneers.

How we can help: Crowns, Veneers

Crumbling teeth can be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) which leads to stomach acid rising up into the oesophagus and then travelling to the mouth. This acid can erode the enamel on the tooth and lead to crumbling teeth.

How we can help: Crowns

As well as being painful and something of a shock, a blow to the face can also cause injury to the soft tissues, including the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips. If these tender tissues are damaged, it can result in bleeding. Here’s what to do to stem the flow:

• Rinse your mouth with warm, salty water.
• Place a damp piece of gauze or a tea bag on the affected area and apply pressure for 15-20 minutes.
• A cold compress applied to the mouth or cheek for 5-10 minutes will help alleviate pain and reduce swelling.
• If the bleeding does not subside, see your dentist as soon as possible or go to your nearest A&E department.

If your tooth has been knocked out, take the following steps:

• Carefully pick it up by the crown (the part that is normally visible when the tooth is in its rightful place).
• If the root is dirty, gently rinse off the tooth, but do not scrub or remove any tiny fragments of tissue.
• It’s important to keep the knocked out tooth moist, so try to pop it back in the socket but make sure it is facing the right way. If this is not possible you can put it in a container of milk or water containing a pinch of salt.
• You should see your dentist as soon as possible because the tooth has more chance of being reattached if treated swiftly.

How we can help: Emergency appointments