Our approach...

We know that most common dental disease can be prevented so avoiding the need for dental intervention. We therefore spend a lot of time helping you learn how to best prevent disease in your own mouth. Below are some of the ways you can do this.

Dental decay

Caries - or 'decay' - is destruction of the tooth by acid. This acid is produced by bacteria when they eat sugar. To lower your risk of decay it is best to avoid eating sugar regularly. The important thing to remember is that frequency, not quantity, is most important in relation to caries progression.

Gum disease

Gum disease can range from superficially bleeding gums to more advance loss of the tooth-support system (which includes bone around teeth). The latter is not an inevitable part of aging but is the result of accummulation of plaque (which contains bacteria) over years around the teeth. Good oral hygiene is the key to preventing this - and this includes cleaning between your teeth.

Tooth wear

Tooth wear occurs with time but is accelerated in people who grind their teeth at night. Eventually the tooth loss associated with this can be so extensive that it causes a tooth to die. You can prevent this by wearing a simple guard over your teeth (similar to a gum shield).