Frequently Asked Questions

So what’s the deal about flossing and why does your team stress it so much?

I had a tooth filled and now it is sensitive. Is this normal?

What causes bad breath?

My tooth doesn’t hurt yet. Why should
I get it fixed now?

So what’s the deal about flossing and why does your team stress it so much?

Simply put, flossing is the single most important thing that you can do for your oral hygiene. It has a profound effect on preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease, bad breath and likely on your overall health.

Flossing is the best method there is for removing plaque from the approximately 40% of the tooth surface that is inaccessible to the toothbrush because it is sheltered by the way it abuts up against the neighbouring tooth. Plaque is responsible for dental decay and triggering periodontitis, as well as the leading cause of bad breath. By effectively removing plaque daily, you will virtually eliminate dental disease.

In addition, with the growing evidence of the link between periodontal disease and several systemic illnesses such as heart disease and stroke, diabetes, and premature birth, the case for flossing is made even stronger. In fact, Dr. Mayo, founder of the world renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, said years ago that flossing, as part of an effective plaque removal practice, would “add ten years to your life”.

The good news is that flossing need only be done once a day (though more often would not hurt!). The best time to floss is before tooth brushing, before going to bed. And don’t worry if your gums bleed when you start; in a few days the bleeding will stop and your gums will feel better than ever. Be sure to ask one of our team members for some helpful tips if you are having difficulty with your flossing technique.

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I had a tooth filled and now it is sensitive. Is this normal?

If you had a cut on your skin, it would be a bit tender to the touch due to the resulting inflammatory response. When a tooth is prepared for a filling, the pulp (‘nerve’) of the tooth also responds by becoming a bit inflamed. This pulp inflammation manifests itself as sensitivity, usually to cold. In general, the deeper the filling, the more the pulp will be inflamed and the more sensitive the tooth may be.

So while it is normal for the tooth to be sensitive for a couple of days, or perhaps longer after being filled, you should notice that the sensitivity gradually diminishes with time. If this is not the case, the tooth may be experiencing other problems.

The most common of these problems is that the filling is too ‘high’, meaning that the filling is being bumped into heavily when the teeth come together during biting and chewing. This situation will continue to irritate the pulp of the tooth and it will become increasingly sensitive. A small adjustment should correct this situation. If, once the local anaesthetic wears off, you feel that the filling is in the way when you put your teeth together, even if that feeling seems to have resolved within a day or two, let us know and we will check to ensure that the filling is not high.

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What causes bad breath?

While bad breath can be caused by a number of reasons, it is most often caused by ‘volatile sulphur compounds’ (VSCs) which are produced by certain bacteria present in the mouth. These bacteria can accumulate in high numbers in plaque that has been allowed to accumulate on teeth over long periods of time. Occasionally, the bacteria can collect in deeper crevices of the tongue or in swollen tonsils. The regular removal of these bacterial accumulations will generally control the problem of bad breath.

Plaque can be removed with daily flossing and diligent tooth brushing. Tongues can be cleaned with a toothbrush or a tongue ‘scraper’ (available at most retailers selling oral hygiene products). In addition, one should ensure that a sufficient amount of water is consumed as dehydration can exacerbate the bad breath. If these practices reduce but do not completely eliminate the bad breath, we may be able to offer other advice to you.

Ironically, most mouthrinses are not effective against bad breath. The reason for this is that most mouthrinses contain high concentrations of alcohol which tends to dry out the mouth and, in turn, worsen the bad breath. At most, these mouth rinses offer only a very short term masking of the problem.
It should be noted that bad breath may also be a symptom of various localized or systemic medical conditions which may require further follow up. Your dental team can assist you in differentiating between the different causes of bad breath and refer a medical consultation if required.

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My tooth doesn’t hurt yet. Why should I get it fixed now?

This question represents the fact that dentistry has, historically, been a profession of pain management. While no one questions the wisdom of prevention, some people are still hesitant to have treatment before they experience pain.

The truth of the matter is that it is best to intercept problems as early as possible. With our modern technologies and expanding understanding of dental disease, we are often able to detect problems and correct them long before they get to the point of causing discomfort.

Therefore, in much the same way that a physician monitors one's blood pressure and can begin corrective treatment before it becomes a critical medical problem, we can often intervene before your dental problems reach the point of greater difficulty and expense.

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