New Patients
We believe that the best way of making treatment affordable, without compromising our high quality of care, is to offer you membership to our dental care plan that provides the following benefits:
- A convenient payment scheme for routine treatments
- Greater choice of treatment and materials
- A substantial discount on additional treatments and sundries
- Worldwide trauma and emergency call out insurance
- Redundancy protection.
Our modern health promoting approach with continuing care means you will have:
- A more attractive smile
- A greater choice of treatments
- Longer lasting, better looking dentistry
- At a reduced cost
If you would like to register at our practice please contact us for further details and to request an agreement form and information pack.
We also have a ‘new patient co-ordinator’ who will be happy to discuss our dental care plan with you and answer queries you may have.
Children
Children are made very welcome at the practice. There is no minimum age and we are very happy to see even the youngest patients. Even if a child is not ready for a full check up, it is helpful for them to come into the treatment rooms for advice and to get used to the environment.
Children are currently seen free of charge under the NHS scheme until they are 18 (subject to capacity). We also offer a children’s dental plan on an independent basis. Please contact us for details.
Getting children into good dental habits at an early age should ensure that they keep their own teeth for life.
Diet, oral hygiene and visits to the dentist are all important in helping to care for a child’s teeth.
See below for more detailed information on caring for childrens’ teeth.
Patient Advice
Oral Hygiene
Effective regular cleaning of your teeth is vital in preventing gum disease and tooth decay.
What we eat and drink is the other major factor involved in the development of tooth decay and erosion.
Brushing
The following advice should be suitable for most patients, but always ask your dentist for advice on the best toothbrush and brushing technique for you.
You should brush your teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening for at least two minutes each time with a suitable. At Ribble Dental we recommend the Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush as the ideal brush for most people. There are also good electric brushes from Braun and Oral B. If you prefer a manual toothbrush it should have medium textured bristles. Squeeze a small amount (about the size of pea) of fluoride toothpaste onto your brush.
Cleaning should be done in a methodical way so that no areas are missed. One good method is to start on one side of the mouth and start by cleaning the outer surface of each tooth in turn. Then move on to clean the biting surfaces and finally the inner surfaces. Pay particular attention to the areas close to the gums which are often missed. If an area bleeds whilst brushing it is a good idea to spend more time on this area for the next week or so. The bleeding should gradually reduce over time with improved brushing. If it persists please bring it to the attention of your dentist at your next check up.
Flossing/Interdental brushes
Teeth should be flossed daily to clean the areas that brushing cannot get to. These are the areas between the teeth which will otherwise trap food debris and plaque which can lead to gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath.
A quick search on Google for “how to floss” provides helpful video clips if you are not sure how to floss.
Remove approximately 30cms from the packet and wrap either end around your index fingers until there is a taut section which you can slide between each of your teeth. Slide the floss between each tooth gently firstly up and down one surface of the tooth then again on the adjacent surface of the tooth.
There may be some bleeding the first few times you floss .This is normal and will fade away as the gums get used to being cleaned in this way and become healthier.
Interdental brushes are an excellent alternative to floss which many people find easier to use. They look like little bottle brushes and are simply slid between the teeth to clean these areas. They come in a variety of sizes. Please ask your dentist who will be happy to demonstate their use and advise you on the correct size. We recommend using the TEPE brand of interdental brushes.
Diet advice
Tooth decay
Even if you clean your teeth thoroughly between meals, tooth decay will still occur if you consume sugary snacks or sugary drinks at frequent intervals.
The sugars combine with bacteria in plaque to form acids which attack the tooth enamel and damage it.
The mouth has a natural defense in the form of saliva this neutralizes acid within the mouth after eating but this process takes approximately 20 minutes to 2 hours to take effect. Therefore it is the frequency of sugary substances consumed that determines whether the surface of the tooth (enamel) can repair itself.
To help protect your teeth from decay, try following these steps:
- Brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste approximately 20 minutes after eating
- Floss your teeth every day
- Chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production
- Avoid eating/drinking anything containing sugar between meals
- Reduce your consumption of foods containing sugar
- Use a fluoride containing mouthwash
Tooth erosion
An increasing problem in the United Kingdom is the erosion of teeth by acidic foods and drinks. This is not related to sugar but to the direct action of acid on teeth.
The most severe damage tends to be seen in patients who drink a lot of fizzy drinks especially cola drinks (diet versions are no better in this respect). Damage is also seen from excessive consumption of citrus fruits and drinks such as fresh orange juice or some smoothies.
Ask your dentist for advice at your next check up. At Ribble Dental our dentists routinely check your teeth for signs of acidic erosion and will inform you and discuss it if apparent.
Children's Teeth
Milk teeth
Children usually have 20 milk teeth. They start to push through the gums (erupt) at about six months. Most children have all 20 teeth by the age of two or three. The last milk tooth will fall out at around the age of 12.
Your child’s milk teeth are important for his/her eating, speech, smile and confidence. They are also important for the development of his/her permanent teeth, so it’s very important to look after them.
Permanent teeth
Permanent teeth usually start to erupt at the age of six. Adults have up to 32 permanent teeth.
Most of these will erupt by the age of 13. However, wisdom teeth (those at the very back of the mouth) often don’t erupt until the early- to mid-twenties, if at all.
Tooth decay
Our mouths are full of bacteria that build up on the teeth in a sticky layer called plaque. Bacteria digest some of the sugar in our food and drinks, making acids that can weaken the tooth enamel (the hard outer layer of teeth).
If acid remains on the tooth surface for a long time, it can cause those areas of the tooth to decay. This can happen if children often have sugary foods or drinks, or if they don’t clean their teeth properly.
If your child has tooth decay that isn’t treated by a dentist, it will eventually reach the centre of the tooth and can cause an infection or toothache.
Dental erosion
Dental erosion is the gradual wearing away of the enamel on the whole surface of the tooth. It’s caused by acid attacking the surfaces of the teeth.
This is an increasingly common problem in young people’s teeth.
These acids usually come from drinks such as fruit juices, fizzy drinks and squashes – even the sugar-free varieties.
Dental erosion can cause sensitivity and pain.
How can I protect my child’s teeth?
To reduce your child’s risk of tooth decay and dental erosion:
- You should start cleaning your child’s teeth as soon as they come through the gums. There are special toothbrushes and toothpastes for babies.
- If your child is less than two years old, only use a smear of toothpaste. After that, use an amount about the size of a small pea.
- Take your child to the dentist regularly
- Don’t give him/her too many sugary or acidic foods and drinks
- Encourage your child to brush their teeth twice a day morning and night with fluoride toothpaste.
- Supervise your child when they are brushing their teeth until they are at least 7yrs old.
- Encourage your child to spit out toothpaste and not rinse with water, as this reduces the effect of the fluoride
Orthodontic treatments
Orthodontic treatments can be done for any of the following reasons:
- Crowding – teeth are too close together
- Spacing – gaps between teeth
- Overbite – teeth overlap too much vertically
- Over jet – front teeth stick out
- Under bite – lower teeth stick out/lower jaw too big
- Cross bite – upper and lower teeth bite on the wrong side of each other
- Open bite – your teeth do not meet when you bite
- Misplaced midline – centre lines of upper and lower teeth don’t align
Please discuss this option with your dentist as we will be happy to refer your child to an orthodontic clinic which is convenient for you.