1st October 2020

Following the Government instructions and the Uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 outbreak, we were forced to close the practice temporarily during the months of March – June 2020

We have been working extremely hard to ensure that our patients and staff can return to work at our practices in the safest possible way.

We want to reassure you that although our practices were closed following dental council guidelines, we are still here at the end of the phone to discuss any emergencies concerns you may have, provide advice or help secure emergency care when needed.

We will do the same in case of any future lockdowns.

 

As things currently stand, we fitted our practice with top of the range purification/filtration and air exchange system and we are able to offer the full range of Dental services but may be subject to change, depending on any amendments to the Government’s position.

We will of course keep you informed as and when anything does change.

Bookings will be made in order of urgency.

Patients who are waiting for urgent dental treatment will be managed first, followed by patients with outstanding dental treatment, followed by patients needing their regular checkups.

We have also confirmed our visiting specialists timetables/bookings and will contact you to re-arrange your specialists bookings if needed.

There will be a back-log dealing with everyone, but I am sure we will get through it with a lot of patience and proper planning.

We thank everyone who supported us with emails, messages, calls and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

We continue to work tirelessly to make our practice safe and look forward to seeing you all soon.

WELCOME TO OUR COVID-19 INFORMATION PAGE

We have created this Cover 19 page to help you manage your dental problems from home until you visit our practice, as well as to answer any questions or concerns you have around getting urgent treatment during future lockdown(s).

Identifying dental emergencies.

It is important to identify the level of your dental emergency.

Some may require urgent attention, while others you can try to manage at home and wait to be assessed by your dentist.

To help with your enquiries, we’ve provided a list of dental problems which need urgent attention, some which don’t, and some general guidance on how you can manage at home.

URGENT ATTENTION SYMPTOMS :

  • Swelling extending to the face/eye orbit or neck.
  • Continuous Bleeding after an extraction (even after 20 minutes biting on gauze/pressure application.)
  • Continuous non stop bleeding due to trauma .
  • Sleepless night toothache associated with significant swelling or fever that cannot be managed with painkillers.

NON URGENT SYMPTOMS:

  • Broken, loose or lost fillings
  • Chipped teeth with no pain
  • Broken, rubbing or loose dentures
  • Loose or lost crowns, bridges or veneers
  • Bleeding gums (occasional)
  • Loose orthodontic retainer/wire

VISIT YOUR LOCAL HOSPITAL OR A&E IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS:

  • Trauma causing loss of consciousness, double vision or vomiting.
  • Facial swelling affecting vision or breathing, limited mouth opening (less than two fingers width).

MANAGING A PAINFUL WISDOM TOOTH

Wisdom tooth inflammation of the gum can happen due to a variety of reasons.

This can be managed with thorough home care and should settle in a few days.

If you have a swelling in your face or cheek, or difficulty opening your mouth, call your dentist.

You may need antibiotics if you have an infection or a minor infection that is spreading.

Keeping it clean will accelerate the healing of the inflammation.

Excessive use of Corsodyl mouthwash can cause discolouration.

Painkillers and analgesics : Ibuprofen or paracetamol will help reduce the pain. Consult with your dentist/pharmacist if you have any allergies or interactions with your medical history.

POST EXTRACTION PAIN / BLEEDING MANAGEMENT:

If you’re having pain after an extraction, you should take analgesics for up to seven days.

We cannot provide antibiotics for pain after extractions unless an infection is present.

Some post extraction oozing is normal after an extraction up to 48 hours.

If bleeding continues, call your dentist for further advice.

If you smoke or rinse too soon after an extraction, you risk a dry socket and this can be very painful, with regular painkillers unlikely to be effective. If this happens, you should call your dentist to seek an emergency appointment. Antibiotics will not solve this, as a dressing is needed to cover the exposed bone.

BLEEDING GUMS MANAGEMENT

Bleeding gums are not a dental emergency as this is most commonly associated with gum disease,

Brush twice a day with an electric brush, use floss or interdental brushes to clean between your teeth every day.

LOST CROWN MANAGEMENT

If you lost/broke a crown call the practice

There are temporary repair kits but I feel they are of limited success.

It may be OK to leave the crown off until surgery normal working setup resumes.

MOUTH ULCERS MANAGEMENT

Most ulcers will heal within 7-14 days. Non healing ulcers persisting for more than three weeks should be assessed urgently by a dentist or the hospital.

Clean as normal , but be gentle while brushing the ulcer site.

Denture adhesives – if it’s an ill fitting denture causing your ulcers, adhesives products like polygraph or Fixodent may help secure a loose denture.

You may wish to remove dentures where possible to remove the cause of the ulcer.

Difflam spray or mouthwash – Use this as needed to treat your sore mouth.

YOUR DAILY BRUSHING TEETH GUIDANCE

To maintain healthy teeth and gums you must use the correct routine and do this regularly.

HERE ARE SOME POINTERS TO GUIDE YOU WITH YOUR DAILY CARE:

  • Brush for two minutes, twice a day. Once in the morning and once again before you go to bed. This helps in the reduction of plaque and maintaining gums that are nice and healthy. Plaque use sugars in our food and produce acid causes tooth decay (cavities).
  • While using an electric toothbrush can be good, it has to be used properly . Hold it on each tooth individually, angling the bristles towards the gum line at 45 degrees.
  • You can still achieve a good clean using a manual brush, but in general a top end electric brush will help do the brushing technique for you.
  • Fluoride toothpaste helps strengthen enamel to give extra protection against tooth decay.
  • Fizzy drinks and fruit juices contain acids, which can dissolve the outer surface of your teeth (enamel). This is called erosion; it thins your teeth, which can make them more sensitive, translucent or yellower and more likely to chip. minimising the sugar intake and the fizzy drinks between meals will help the fine balance of your tooth surface structure and ensure they stay nice and solid.
  • Use dental floss and interdental brushes to brush your teeth. If you don’t clean in between the teeth you are missing more than a third of the tooth surfaces.
  • Remember to ‘Spit don’t rinse’ after brushing – so that the fluoride stays on your teeth for longer.
  • Replace your toothbrush (to the electric brush tip) every 3 months to ensure the bristles reach every part of your tooth.