Archive for September, 2009

Patient Information on Home Whitening Treatment

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Your dentist has given you a whitening kit to take home with you together with your whitening trays. It is essential that you follow the instructions given by your dentist and the manufacturers’ instructions in wearing the trays and applying the whitening agent.

This advice sheet has been produced with the help of CODE.

How long Should I wear the trays for?

This depends on the amount of lightening that you desire and the original shade of the teeth. If your teeth are quite dark or very yellow/ grey/ tetracycline stained it will take longer to bleach the teeth. If you are not experiencing any sensitivity you may wear the trays for at least 1 – 2 hours and even sleep with the trays in your mouth. It is very important to remove all the excess material around the gums or the palate prior to sleeping with the trays.

The darker your teeth, the longer they will take to get lighter. Tetracycline stained teeth can take from 6 months to one year to reach the desired colour. Some teeth can whiten after one month.

If you cannot wear the trays for a few days because of your hectic schedule, it does not matter. Whiten your teeth according to your own schedule. Some people put the trays in after dinner and wear them for the first hour while watching TV or doing the dishes. Then if everything is fine they replenish the trays and sleep with them in the mouth.

What do I do if I have any sensitivity?

Sensitivity of teeth is the most common side effect of home whitening. In fact many patients suffer from sensitive teeth anyway. This occurs usually around the necks of the teeth where the gums have receded. If you are experiencing any sensitivity you should stop whitening your teeth for 3-4 days. If the teeth become ultra sensitive you can place a sensitive toothpaste into the whitening trays for an hour a day. Alternatively you can rub the sensitising toothpaste into the gum margins with your finger 5 times per day for a few days. If you are at all concerned, please call your dentist.

How will my teeth feel?

Normally the teeth feel very clean after the whitening procedure. The whitening materials also have an indirect effect on the gums of improving their health. This is how the technique was invented as it was first used to treat the gum irritation caused by orthodontic treatment.

What about my smile?

If you have white fillings in the front teeth that match the existing shade of your teeth before whitening your teeth, they may not match the teeth afterwards. This is because your teeth can lighten, but the fillings do not lighten. When the desired colour has been achieved, the dentist can replace these fillings with a lighter shade of filling material to match the new shade of your teeth. Normally the dentist will wait until after the desired shade of lightening has been achieved before changing the fillings.

How long does the whitening last? Will I have to whiten my teeth again?

Normally the new white colour of your teeth keeps quite well. The effect is dependent on what has caused the teeth to discolour in the first place. If you drink coffee, red wine, cola drinks the effect may darken slightly. Some patients have a top up treatment after as and when they feel it is necessary. Some patients do not need to.

Does whitening harm the teeth or gums?

Safety studies have shown that whitening teeth using the dentist prescribed home whitening technique is perfectly safe on the teeth, cheeks, gum and tissue of the mouth. Whitening the teeth with the dentist prescribed kits is equivalent to drinking one soda drink. The whitening material has a neutral ph.

There are problems with the whitening kits that are purchased over the counter. Although they are inexpensive, they normally contain an acid rinse, which can damage the teeth or thin down the enamel of the teeth. This acid rinse can be extremely harmful to the teeth.

The technique of whitening is not for everybody. There are some situations where whitening teeth is contraindicated such as where the front teeth are already crowned or where there are very large fillings on the front teeth or where the teeth are already excessively worn and there is tooth surface loss. The most ideal situation is where the teeth are healthy and strong but have become more discoloured with age.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our care team on 01474 537191.


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Brushing and Flossing Techniques

Monday, September 7th, 2009

It is very important to invest in a good toothbrush to help maintain effective brushing and prevent gum disease. There are so many toothbrushes on the market, it can be difficult to know what to buy. We advise that any electric rechargeable toothbrush will suffice.

There are 5 simple steps that you can use for effective brushing.

1. Always look in a mirror whilst brushing. It sounds so simple but many people do not use a mirror and hence cannot see where they are brushing and so miss cleaning certain areas.

2. Use a methodical approach, concentrating on one tooth at a time.

3. Make sure that you brush the outside, inside and biting surfaces of the teeth.

4. Try to begin brushing in a different place everyday to ensure that you do not neglect any particular area.

5. Toothbrushing should last for at least two minutes (A good tip is, if you listen to the radio in the morning you should brush for the duration of 1-2 songs).

Flossing techniques

Some people say that they spend a long time brushing their teeth and therefore they do not need to floss, this is not the case. Although the bristles of a tooth brush are fine, collectively they are still to thick to get in-between the teeth effectively. It is very easy to forget that teeth have more than two surfaces and they all need the same care and attention, especially as food can get trapped in-between teeth and if left it can cause decay/ carries/cavities. The only way to remove this is by flossing.

1. Take about 50cm (20inches) of floss and wind the ends around your middle fingers, leaving a short distance between them.

2. Using your thumb and first finger, gently move the floss between your teeth and wrap in a C shape around the tooth.

3. Guide the floss to where the tooth meets the gum, but take care not to damage the gum by flossing too vigorously

4. Then move the floss up and down the tooth. During use the floss spreads out for more effective plaque removal.

Inter-dental Brushes

Inter-dental brushes are small pocket sized brushes that are available to buy in different sizes. A dentist would recommend what size is best for the pateint, and some people are advised to use two different sized brushes corresponding to the size of the gaps between teeth. Tepe brushes are great as they come with a lid and can be kept in your pocket incase you are going out for a meal and you have a tendency to get food trapped in certain areas.

For the ultimate feeling of a fresh mouth, don’t forget to use a tongue scraper  as your tongue  harbours many bacteria that can cause bad breath.

Should you need any further advise on brushing and flossing techniques, speak to one of our team members who will be happy to help you.


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Kent cosmetic dentist replaces damaged tooth with same day implant.

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

A patient presented with a broken tooth which was beyond rescue. The rest of the mouth was healthy and the patient requested a fixed replacement.

The best option in this case is a dental implant. Implants are the most successful long-term option for replacing missing teeth. They are fixed-i.e like your own teeth and do not come out like dentures; they look natural like your own natural teeth; and they do not rely on other teeth to stay in place like a bridge. A bridge is also a good treatment option but some patients opt not to have a bridge as this involves treatment on good healthy teeth.
Implants have also been shown to be the most successful option over time, requiring very little maintenance in fact only the same as your other natural teeth. They are suitable for people of all ages over 18 (when the jaws have grown fully). All that is required is sufficient bone to place the implant. If this is not present there are simple procedures that can ensure sufficient bone is present.

Case Study
In the above case the patient attended for a treatment appointment. At this appointment the broken tooth was gently removed, a dental implant and post placed at the same time and a temporary crown restored the patient’s appearance. The tooth looked so natural the patient had to ask which tooth he had treated again and was very happy with the result. We will allow approximately three months for the implant to heal before placing the final crown which will look even better. The patient is returning back to work and can expect a full recovery with minimal soreness by the next day.

Dr. Rik Trivedi


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Patient Testimonial: Cerec 1 Visit Crown to the rescue

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

This patient attended yesterday with a broken tooth in the smile area. This is an increasingly common finding with old fillings, crowns and teeth in people of all ages. We now have the perfect solution!

Our patient is a very busy business man and he was keen to get the problem resolved as soon as possible with the best solution involving minimum time. He was seen and completed his treatment the same day. He was over the moon with the whole experience.

At Parrock Street Dental Care (www.parrockstreetdental.co.uk or www.kentcosmeticdentists.co.uk) we are one of only a few practices in the country who have a Cerec Machine- one of the most advanced methods of  designing and producing crowns/veneers and half crowns (inlays/onlays) to strengthen and improve the appearance of teeth.

The Cerec machine uses CAD-Cam technology (just like how they make cars) to manufacture these crowns and veneers the SAME DAY in just one simple appointment. No impression is required as only a picture is needed and no unsightly temporaries or the inconvenience of being numb  and attending for a second appointment.

During the appointment you may relax and watch a film/play/comedy/documentary of your choice from our broad selection with our in chair dvd entertainment system.

In short it is the perfect way of having the perfect solution to an age old increasing problem.

For more information just email or call our practice!



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Posted in Beautiful Smiles, Cerec Same Day Crowns, Crowns/Veneers/Onlays/Inlays, Restorative, Testimonials Of The Day, Video Testimonials | Comments Off

Kent dentist explains the effects that soft drinks have on teeth

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

This is a very important topic that I feel should be addressed as many people are not aware of the effects soft drinks have upon the health of your teeth.

Without being too technical teeth are made from dentine and have a protective enamel around the tooth to stop it from being decayed.

However when, soft drinks mix with the natural bacteria in the mouth it forms a type of acid, which overtime brakes down the enamel allowing the tooth to become decayed and sensitive.

As a dentist it is very easy to recommend patients that they should avoid soft drinks and drink water instead, but in reality it can be very difficult to resist the temptation of drinking soft drinks, so therefore I recommend a few easy tips to help minimize soft drink- related damage to teeth.

Use a straw when drinking soft drinks as it may help reduce the contact between your teeth and the beverage.

Don’t brush your teeth straight after drinking your soft drink as the enamel is weaker due to the acid from the drink.

Don’t sip a soft drink over a long period of time as you are at risk of increasing the exposure to acid and the risk of damage leading to tooth decay. So for example if you have a can of soft drink, don’t take a sip an hour as your constantly exposing your teeth to the acid, drink the drink in one sitting.

Parents and guardians are advised that babies and toddlers should not be given soft drinks or even the sugar free kind in a bottle as children have a tendency to keep the bottle in one place in the mouth (front of the mouth) and even though they may not have any/all their teeth, they are at great risk of having tooth decay. The forming teeth can become rotten becoming blackened and loose as they grow.

It is very important that you see a dentist regularly so that they can help maintain the health of your mouth and teeth.


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Teeth Whitening Testimonial at Kent Cosmetic Dentist, Gravesend

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Hello, my name is Eula and I am a receptionist at Parrock Street Dental Care.
I found that in the past I had very yellow teeth due to my love of wine, currys and smoking. I felt that i wanted my teeth to look healthy and so after discussing my concerns with Dr Trivedi, i opted for professional (take-home kit) teeth whitening. I found the whole experience to be very easy and I am really glad that i proceeded with the whitening as I feel so much more confident now. Should you have any questions regarding teeth whitening please do not hesitate to call the practice on 01474 537191


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Posted in Beautiful Smiles, Cosmetic, Our Team, Smile Of The Week, Teeth Whitening, Testimonials Of The Day, Video Testimonials | Comments Off