Fancy Trying Our Foxhall Dental Xmas Quiz?

See how much you remember from the blogs we posted in 2019!

As we are coming towards the end of the year, we thought that this would be a good time to see how well our Ipswich patients can remember the various dental advice that we gave on our blogs this last year. We hope that our patients find these to be useful and are always happy to try to cover any aspect of dentistry that you would like to know more about.

So, make yourself a cup of tea and get a pen and paper ready and get ready to answer the questions below (answers towards the end of the page … no peeking)

1. What is a ‘dry socket’?
2. Are there alternatives to a root canal procedure?
3. How does the Invisalign orthodontic system differ from traditional dental braces?
4. What causes a dry mouth and why is this a bad thing?
5. As we haven’t eaten since we last brushed our teeth at night, why do we need to clean them in the morning?
6. Name a key difference between dental implants and either dentures or a bridge
7. Is it possible to permanently whiten your teeth?
8. Name some of the factors that might lead to oral cancer
9. Should a cracked tooth be defined as a ‘dental emergency’?
10. Does it matter if children lose their first teeth early?

Answers

1. A dry socket can occur following a tooth extraction. Once a tooth has been removed, a blood clot will form in the socket. This both protects it and helps to heal the area. Occasionally, this may fall out and leave an empty socket. This allows bacteria and food to enter and infection and discomfort are likely. If you have a tooth out and this happens to you, please see your dentist straight away.
2. Yes, but the only alternative available to a root canal procedure is to have the tooth removed. To do this doesn’t really make sense in most cases though. Where a root canal treatment is possible, it is a very effective way of retaining a natural tooth. With good care and following our guidance, a tooth treated in this way can last for many more years.
3. Most dental braces use a system made from wires and brackets and these are tightened to apply pressure to the teeth. Invisalign uses a series of transparent trays that fit directly over the teeth. These have many benefits including the fact that they are very discreet and can be removed when eating meals and whilst cleaning your teeth.
4. A dry mouth can be caused by many things but predominantly is because of dehydration. This can be exacerbated by drinking alcohol and smoking and also tends to occur more as we get older. It can be bad for oral health as it allows more growth of oral bacteria, some of which can lead to gingivitis or periodontitis.
5. Although we may not have consumed any food or drink since we last cleaned our teeth, bacteria will have collected overnight and if left unchecked will start to damage the tooth enamel and our gums. Removal of bacteria will also help our breath to smell more pleasant throughout the day.
6. The main difference between these teeth replacement methods is that only dental implants replace the root part of the tooth, with the others only restoring the tooth above the gum line. Although the root part is not visible, its presence both makes the implant very strong and also helps prevent deterioration of the bone in the jaw in that area of the mouth.
7. The results of a teeth whitening procedure lasts for a good length of time but it is not permanent. Eventually your teeth will stain again if you have habits that cause this, and the inner part of your teeth will darken again. If you want consistent results, the treatment can be adjusted so that you attain a similar level of whiteness between procedures. Alternatively, for longer lasting whiteness, dental veneers could be used. This does require a more complex treatment though and you should discuss this with the dentist at the Foxhall Dental Practice.
8. The biggest factor that can lead to oral cancer is, without a doubt, smoking. It isn’t the only one though and excess alcohol, the HPV virus and general poor oral health may also contribute. You should make sure to have a six monthly check up with one of our Ipswich dentists so that we can monitor not only your teeth and gums but other oral soft tissue too.
9. Yes, anything that causes damage to a tooth should be looked at as soon as possible. Naturally, we try to prioritise cases where the patient is in pain or damage is severe but any tooth that has been compromised needs prompt treatment to prevent further damage from occurring.
10. Yes, aside from not wanting a child to suffer from toothache, early tooth loss can lead to speech impediments as well as crooked adult teeth. Make sure your child looks after their teeth and sees a dentist regularly.

We hope that you enjoyed our little quiz and we look forward to writing more blogs in the new year. In the meantime, from all at the Foxhall Dental Practice, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.