A Dental Bridge is a false tooth, it could best be described as a permanently fixed denture, says a South East London dentist. The bridge is exactly what it says it is. When a tooth is lost it leaves a gap, and this is generally filled with a false tooth to keep eating habits and the smile in pristine condition. The bridge consists of three or more teeth, all of which are usually made from Porcelain and joined together. The teeth on the edges are also hollow as they will fit over the good teeth either side of the gap. These are called anchors and hold the bridge tooth in position like a suspension bridge. The dentist will first take digital photos and send them to the dental technician for the bridge to be made, in fitting the bridge they will need to grind down the edge teeth to the same dimensions as the inside of the anchor teeth. The bridge is fitted and cemented in, then polished to blend the join in. The teeth can be used almost immediately and within a few weeks many patients forget they even have a false tooth. The fixture is permanent, but a damaged bridge is easily replaced, they also need no special looking after, as a denture does. You simply clean and floss them as usual. They will get a polish and the usual clean up to remove tartar when you visit your dentist for the six monthly check up. The practice dental hygiene nurse will give you more advice on caring for a bridge.

Brushing and Flossing is probably the most important part of our dental hygiene regime, says a dentist from South East London. However, it has to be done properly in order to have the fullest effect and to keep gum disease away. The method of brushing is as important as the brush itself, there tends to be a fallacy about the fact that if you use an electric brush you don’t need to brush for too long, fallacies in dental care can cost you your teeth. A hand brush is the best method in a lot of cases as it allows you to feel the way around the teeth, and to get into all those awkward places that electric brushes often miss. That said, electric brushes are just as useful and effective as the old method, many of them have a timer and that is a handy tool in itself. A good mouthwash can dislodge recently consumed food particles, and that followed by a good flossing session will usually dislodge almost all the bits of food hiding in between the teeth. When we brush it should be the last part of the operation, a clean and healthy mouth will ensure that the teeth last a long time, and keep gum disease at bay. Carrying around a few floss sticks for cleaning in between the teeth after a sandwich or a light meal will also help in the fight against tartar, this is the hardened bacteria that accumulates around the base of the teeth where the gums meet the tooth. Tartar is usually removed at our 6 monthly visits to the dentist, but don’t let that make you lax in your regime, brushing and flossing should be kept to a high standard and never relaxed.