Do You Worry About What You’re Eating Because Of The Condition Of Your Teeth?
If you’re avoiding certain foods because of your teeth, our Acton dentists can help.
Have you ever found yourself at a dinner party or when eating a meal at a restaurant, looking at the food on offer and thinking ‘I’d better not have sticky toffee pudding .. it might pull that filling out’ or ‘oh, that has nuts in it, I’m not sure my teeth are strong enough to cope with that’? If you have, then you should really discuss this with one of our local dentists. Poor quality teeth spoil your enjoyment of food and can affect your social life too, but the good news is that with modern dentistry, there really isn’t any need to put up with it.
Restorative dental treatments are not just available to resolve any painful dental issues such as a bad toothache, but to provide you with teeth that are as functional as possible too. The goal is that you can go about your daily life without worrying whether your mouth and teeth are fit for purpose or not.
Old restorations
Many of us have had fillings and possibly even crowns, sometimes many years ago. This can lead to us avoiding sticky foods in case the filling comes out or a crown becomes detached from the prepared tooth. Both of these scenarios are possible after some time, and the adhesive used to attach a crown is likely to weaken eventually. If you find that you are avoiding certain foods for any reason, do speak to our local Acton dentists about it. Fillings can be repaired or replaced if needed and a new crown might be needed, or at least an old one re-attaching securely. If a crown does become detached, under no circumstances should you attempt to re-attach it yourself; please call us if this happens so that we can replace it for you.
Painful gums
It isn’t just the teeth that can be problematic when eating. If your gums are painful, this can be just as bad. Gum disease can lead to sore and inflamed gums which makes eating difficult and very often uncomfortable. With regular cleaning and care, it really shouldn’t get to this stage, but if it has, please contact us straight away. This may be reversible with professional cleaning (scale and polish) by our dental hygiene team or you may need a more extensive treatment known as a ‘deep clean’. In any event, at the first sign of any gum trouble, you should see our hygienist and continue those visits every six months or so in order to help keep your gums in good health.
Uneven bites/worn enamel
If your teeth are crooked, then there is every chance that your bite is incorrect. This may not bother you initially, but it is likely to cause wearing down of the enamel of your teeth. Similarly, a diet high in acidic foods can also have the same effect. If you notice any wearing of the enamel, or any teeth sensitivity, please contact us for an appointment. We may be able to straighten your teeth using modern invisible aligners or replace the worn enamel either with cosmetic bonding or porcelain dental veneers.
Missing teeth
People that lose a tooth, or teeth, usually find that they can eat ‘OK’ once the gum in that location has hardened. There are two issues with this though. Firstly, we tend to compensate for lost teeth by chewing elsewhere in the mouth with disporportionate pressure potentially causing other, unexpected issues. The other issue is that when a tooth is lost, a space appears and, gradually, teeth around the gap can start to move. This can create irregular spacing around the teeth where food and bacteria can easily become trapped. If this happens, tooth decay and gum disease can often follow not long afterwards.
The bottom line is that if patients of Acton Vale Dental Centre find that they are having problems when eating, even quite minor issues, you shouldn’t accept this as ‘just one of those things’. Instead, contact us so that we can check to see what the problem is and get a treatment plan in place to resolve it.
With modern treatments such as crowns, veneers and even dental implants to replace any missing teeth, we can usually restore your teeth to a highly functional level. Of course, for those that want to go further, cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening are also available to help you have your best possible smile.
If your teeth, or gums, are in any way ‘playing you up’, please contact our Acton dental clinic today to arrange an appointment to see one of our dentists. You can contact us by calling us on 0204 8749 3267 and we’ll be delighted to help.