Teeth whitening has rapidly become one of the most popular and widely used dental treatments. First really seen in the late 1970s and 80s and only then used by the very rich and famous, whitening has quickly become as normal as having a haircut or nail appointment and all because of the stunning results it can achieve.

The secret behind teeth whitening’s success is the subconscious element. Whiter teeth are associated with youth, so the whiter the teeth the younger the patient looks. This also has connotations with health and vitality. We all know people with discoloured teeth, it might even be you, and you know that it can really add years on to your appearance and make the smile dull and unattractive. Teeth whitening uses a bleaching agent called hydrogen peroxide to re-stain the tooth enamel to make it look white and healthy.

One of the most popular brands on the market is Zoom teeth whitening. Offered by most dentists, including your local South East London dentist, Zoom uses the power of a special heat lamp to accelerate the whitening process and make it more effective. Using Zoom it is possible to improve the colour of the enamel by as much as ten shades. You can just imagine the effect this has on the smile and general appearance of the patient.

The other major benefit of teeth whitening is that it s now very affordable. With treatments starting at under a hundred pounds, there is no reason why you too cannot benefit from the incredible power of Zoom teeth whitening from South East London dentist. Make an appointment today to find out more.

Of all the oral problems you could experience, none are quite so devastating and serious as oral cancer. This condition can kill in almost all cases if not caught in sufficient time and treated effectively. As you will probably be aware, one third of all people will suffer from cancer at some point in their life. This is a worrying statistic and one that means we have to be extra vigilant about the way we deal with strange and unusual things about our body. This could involve going to have a mole checked out, checking breasts and testicles for lumps and also, crucially, being aware of any painful or unusual marks in the mouth.

Oral cancer usually manifests itself in the mouth as small red or white sores that are very painful and do not clear up naturally after a week or so. The sores are often very sensitive to hot and cold food and drink and may also be bleeding. The other signs of oral cancer include bleeding in the mouth, unexplained weight loss and pain in the neck or head.

If you are unsure about anything in your mouth you need to have it checked out immediately by a London SE1 dentist. Even if it turns out to be nothing more than mouth ulcer it is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to cancer. If you do catch oral cancer in its early stages, you stand a greater than eighty per cent chance of surviving the disease but these odds begin to fall very quickly the longer you leave it.

The other important thing to remember is that by keeping up regular appointments with your dentist they will be able to examine your mouth for any signs of the disease, again increasing your chances of beating cancer should you be so unfortunate as to develop this terrible killer

If you have ever played or watched a game of rugby you will have noticed that the players all wear mouth guards. This is because in a high-impact game like rugby your teeth are at a great risk of being knocked out during a collision. Protecting your teeth during sporting activity is very important as over half the knocked out or broken teeth seen by dentists occur as the result of sporting injuries that could have been prevented. And it is not just rugby that poses a threat to your teeth. Football, cricket, any form of martial art or boxing can all be dangerous as can any form of motor sport.

It may seem a little extreme to wear a mouth guard when taking part in any sporting activity, but the reality of a knocked out tooth is no laughing matter. Not only will you have the initial pain and sometimes agony of the accident but it doesn’t stop there. Knocked out teeth often need hours of very unpleasant and expensive dental treatment to fix. If left, missing teeth will cause an increase in dental cavities, ruin the appearance of your smile and even cause problems with your profile and facial tissue.

You’re beginning to see why mouth guards are so important. It is possible to buy mouth guards in the high street sports shops, but these are often very ill-fitting and frequently offer little more protection than not wearing one at all. Your South East London dentist will be able to offer you a fully prepared and specially designed mouth guard that will spread the impact of any collision or accident, keeping your teeth safe and your smile intact. For just a few pounds you could save yourself hours of agony and a huge amount of cash on dental replacements.

Everyone has probably known someone with dentures in their life and is aware of the problems associated with them. We have all also seen the adverts on TV for denture adhesive used to keep the dentures in place. Loose fitting dentures are potentially very embarrassing and can be the source of great anxiety for those that have to wear them. As if losing your teeth wasn’t enough pain and embarrassment, having to worry that your dentures might fall out at an important moment can be very stressful.

Denture adhesives do work but they are also very messy and can prevent the patient from eating many types of food. Luckily, there is now a more permanent solution that doesn’t involve the daily application of a sticky gel. Mini-implants work by fixing small screws directly into the jawbone. These are solid and act as a rigid base for the dentures which can be clipped on and off. The mini-implants are small-scale versions of the implants used commonly to replace missing teeth and have a proven track record. They are fitted directly into the jaw and fuse with the bone and tissue to become almost like part of the jaw. Once firm, your dentures can be adjusted to fit the mini-implants and you will be free to enjoy an anxiety free life safe in the knowledge that your dentures will never fall out and that you can eat any food you want.

Mini-implants are available from London SE1 dentists and are the perfect solution to all your loose denture needs. Make an appointment today to find out more about them.

Having straighter teeth is often very high on people’s lists of things they would change about their appearance. Fortunately, with orthodontic braces it is possible to straighten teeth artificially to improve the way they look in the mouth and the effect they have on the profile. However, traditional straightening methods are often very unpopular because of the way the braces look and feel in the mouth. Traditional train-track braces have a reputation for being not very attractive, uncomfortable and needing a long time for successful treatment but there are now other options.

Invisalign is a new system of teeth straightening that uses clear plastic braces to straighten the teeth faster and with less discomfort. Also, because they are made of clear plastic, the aesthetic impact of the braces is significantly reduced. Invisalign treatments are on average six months shorter than with more traditional braces. They work by using a series of specially designed retainers that fit over the teeth, making small adjustments. Gradually, the teeth are moved into a straighter position.

There have been clear braces in the past but they have often been fairly ineffectual but for the first time Invisalign braces offer genuine results without the need for wires and brackets ruining the appearance of the teeth. Ask your South East London dentist for more information about Invisalign braces at your next appointment. They will be able to give you a clearer idea about suitability and cost of treatment. There are also other treatments available such as the Inman aligner and Clearstep that straighten the teeth fast and with minimal aesthetic impact. A new age for orthodontic treatment has finally arrived.

You may have heard the phrase dental bridge but very few people actually know what they are. A dental bridge is a dental procedure used to restore the appearance of a knocked out or lost tooth. Teeth can be lost for many reasons ranging from a blow to the face or simply as the result of poor oral hygiene. This can often leave a big hole in the teeth that looks unattractive and can cause a build up of damaging plaque and bacteria. London SE1 dentists always recommend that you replace missing teeth as soon as possible, not just for the aesthetic results but also because it benefits the health of the teeth around it.

A dental bridge is one of the most successful ways of restoring a lost tooth, making the dental arc complete and restoring the functionality of a real tooth. The bridge is usually made up of two dental crowns, one on each side of the missing tooth, which support the bridging tooth (also known as a pontic, from the Latin word for bridge). The crowns are cemented in place and act as a strong and sturdy support for the pontic, which is secured with dental bonding and metal strips.

When set in place, the dental bridge will look and feel like a real tooth and if properly cared for, can last as long as fifteen years (although the average is closer to ten years). However, for over a decade you can be secure in the knowledge that your smile has been restored and that you can use all your teeth once more. Dental bridges are available at all dentists including your local London SE1 dentist.