If you vape, you may wonder whether your dentist will be able to tell during a routine examination. The most accurate answer is: a dentist may notice signs that are associated with vaping, but they cannot usually tell with certainty that you vape simply by looking inside your mouth. Vaping can affect the gums, saliva,…
If you are booking a dental check-up in London, you will find a considerable difference between NHS and private fees. However, there is no single “London price” for a dental examination. NHS dental charges are fixed across England, so an NHS check-up costs the same in London as it does elsewhere in England. Private dentists…
Teeth whitening is generally considered safe for suitable patients when it is prescribed and used correctly. However, it is not completely free from side effects. The most common problems are temporary tooth sensitivity and irritation of the gums. Research has also found that peroxide whitening can cause small changes to enamel under certain laboratory conditions,…
Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common side effects of teeth whitening. It can feel like a sudden “zing” or short, sharp pain during treatment or in the hours afterwards, particularly when your teeth are exposed to cold air or drinks. The good news is that whitening sensitivity is usually temporary. It does not…
Teeth whitening can significantly improve many types of tooth staining, but it cannot remove every kind of discolouration. How well whitening works depends on whether the colour is caused by surface staining, changes within the tooth itself, an enamel defect, previous trauma or dental restorations such as fillings, crowns or veneers. Common yellowing caused by…
If you are considering professional teeth whitening, one of the first questions is usually: how much does teeth whitening cost at the dentist? There is no fixed private whitening fee in the UK. The price depends on the whitening system used, whether treatment is carried out mainly at home or includes an in-practice stage, what…
Teeth whitening strips can lighten natural teeth and are generally well tolerated when an appropriate product is used exactly as directed. However, they are not completely risk-free, and the type of whitening strip available to buy directly in the UK is important because peroxide whitening products are regulated according to their strength. Clinical research shows…
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions affecting the jaw joints, the muscles used for chewing, or both. They can cause jaw pain, stiffness, headaches, clicking, difficulty opening the mouth and occasionally jaw locking. One of the most common questions patients ask is: how long does TMD last? There is no single recovery time….
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching—collectively known as bruxism—can place considerable forces on the teeth. Over time, this may contribute to tooth wear, chipped or fractured teeth, damaged fillings and crowns, and sensitive or uncomfortable teeth. Some people also experience tired jaw muscles or morning jaw discomfort. A night guard, sometimes called an occlusal guard or…
Endodontic treatment, more commonly called root canal treatment, is used when the soft tissue inside a tooth—the dental pulp—has become irreversibly inflamed or infected. The aim is to remove the affected tissue, disinfect the root canal system, seal the tooth and preserve as much of the natural tooth as possible. The exact procedure varies according…
In dentistry, palatal means relating to or facing the palate—the roof of the mouth. When a dentist describes the “palatal surface” of a tooth, they usually mean the inner surface of an upper tooth that faces towards the palate. For example, the surface behind an upper front tooth is its palatal surface. On the lower…
In dentistry, occlusal most commonly refers to the chewing surface of the back teeth—the premolars and molars. These surfaces contain raised areas called cusps and grooves known as pits and fissures, which help the teeth crush and grind food. The word is also used more broadly in relation to occlusion, meaning the way the upper…
The periodontium is the group of tissues that surround, attach and support each tooth. It includes the gingiva (gums), periodontal ligament, cementum and alveolar bone. Together, these structures hold the teeth in the jaw while allowing them to withstand the forces produced during biting and chewing. Diseases affecting these supporting tissues are known as periodontal…
Gingiva and gums mean essentially the same thing. “Gingiva” is the anatomical and dental term, while “gums” is the everyday word used to describe the specialised oral tissue that surrounds the teeth and covers part of the tooth-supporting jawbone. A common misconception is that “gums” includes all of the pink soft tissue inside the mouth….
Cementum is a thin mineralised tissue covering the roots of your teeth. It forms an important interface between the tooth and the periodontal ligament, allowing fibres from the ligament to attach the root to the surrounding jawbone. Although cementum is sometimes described as the “enamel of the root”, this is misleading. Cementum is structurally and…
Dentine cannot completely grow back once a physical piece of tooth structure has been lost. However, dentine is part of a biologically active pulp-dentine complex and can respond to irritation in several ways. A vital tooth can lay down new dentine internally, some demineralised dentine can potentially remineralise, and dental treatment can protect or replace…
The cost of a dentist appointment in the UK depends on whether you receive NHS or private care, the type of appointment you need and whether any treatment is required. In England, NHS dentistry uses fixed treatment bands, while private dental practices set their own fees. At Glow Dental in Battersea, a standard new-patient examination…
Yes, a dentist can usually remove an infected tooth. In fact, extracting a tooth that cannot be saved is one of the main ways of treating a dental infection because it removes the source of the problem and allows any associated pus to drain. It is a common myth that an infected or abscessed tooth…
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