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Excessive use of a toothbrush. Is toothbrushing damaging your teeth?
Can a toothbrush be dangerous? Surely not…
Sadly, it’s true, sometimes we tell patients that toothbrushing is damaging their teeth. Does that mean stopping brushing – NO!!! We would never tell a patient to not brush their teeth!!!
It’s all in the toothbrush technique.
Brushing your teeth incorrectly or improper use of a toothbrush can damage your teeth. Imagine washing your car with a wire brush – it wouldn’t do the paintwork much good would it? In the same way, if you brush with a hard-bristled brush, overtime you can wear away the protective coating of your teeth. Therefore, its important to use a soft bristled brush, or, even better, an electric toothbrush with a warning light that tells you if you are pressing too hard.
It’s not just your toothbrush!
Toothbrushing alone doesn’t wear away your teeth but works in conjunction with other forces. Acid on your teeth from food and drink, or intrinsically produced acid (i.e. heartburn) will cause the enamel to weaken and be more prone to loss when brushed. Similarly, excessive tooth grinding, or clenching can cause the teeth to weaken at the gum margins and this is again prone to damage by the toothbrush.
What damage is caused?
Commonly, we see notches at the necks of the teeth (in the area where the teeth meet the gum). These almost look like the notch cut by a lumberjack’s axe when cutting down a tree!
What are the symptoms of toothbrush damage?
Initially, you may not experience any symptoms, but as the tooth wear gets closer to the nerve, you can begin to experience sensitive teeth or even toothache.
Getting long in the tooth…
We’ve all heard that phrase. It doesn’t mean that the teeth are growing, but actually that the gums are receding or shrinking back, thus, making the teeth appear longer.
How can I prevent tooth wear and tooth recession?
1. Use an electric toothbrush with a pressure indicator
2. Hold the electric toothbrush with your forefinger and thumb, not in the palm of your hand. Therefore, the lack of power will prevent you from putting excessive forces on the toothbrush
3. Use floss and tepes to get in between the teeth to clean the surfaces that the teeth miss.
4. Never brush your teeth immediately after having something to eat or drink that is acidic in nature. That includes juices, fruits, fizzy drinks etc…
5. If you find yourself clenching your teeth or grinding your teeth, mention this to your dentist. As a result, your dentist may provide specialised treatment to resolve this.
6. See your dentist regularly for check-ups!
7. Visit the dental hygienist for professional teeth cleaning.
Services
Reviews
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Steve has seen my father to resize his dentures. My father is in a home and suffers from dementia so it is quite a challenging situation. Steve and the whole team made the process as seamless as possible. He explained each step of the process and was never short of time with my father and I to go into any more detail should we need to further understand anything. Steve was so patient with my father throughout.
After the impressions were taken newly refitted dentures were back within days and they were sparking clean and fitted perfectly.
I cannot recommend Steve and the team at Rock Dental highly enough.
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Professional and friendly staff dentist made you feel really calm and relaxed. Not a bad experience at all for a dentist will definitely be going back. 
- Our daughter had a very painful tooth. She has been miss treated and given poor advice by her NHS dentist so I rang and asked my dentist at the Rock Dental Practice if she could be seen.
They were very helpful and she was seen the same day.
The receptionist was very accommodating and made us welcome.
The dental nurse was lovely and made our 13 year old very comfortable and held her hand.
The dentist Adam explained everything very well to me and my daughter so we both knew what was needed. He talked to my daughter during the procedure to make her comfortable as possible.
We had excellent first class treatment from start to finish.
Thank you everyone 🎉🎉🎉 - Very happy with my dentist. I have been going for several years now and feel reassured by their professional approach. No work is forced on you. Always clear explanations, and clear pricing policy. Staff very good and helpful. Would recommend 100%.
- If you want top class care and professionalism Rock House Dental Practice provides this and more.
Staff are so friendly and welcoming, nothing is too much trouble. The clinical knowledge and experience here is first class. You are involved in all aspects of dental care and time is taken to explain things to you clearly. You are never rushed.
Thank you to the team for looking after my dental care for many years. - I can’t speak highly enough about the Rock Dental practice. Professional, friendly and a great team. Don’t get me wrong I don’t like going to the dentist however, my recent visit for a filling which I had been putting off was so amazing even I can’t believe I’m using these words about a dentist appointment.
I was looked after by Simran and I am a nervous patient however, she explained everything to me and put my mind at ease. The work was done before I even knew it. I can’t praise her highly enough. She was brilliant.
To be fair the whole experience was lovely and although I don’t want to go back to have any other work done, I wouldn’t have any hesitation if I needed to. The whole team was brilliant, professional and more than that they are a lovely team. Thank you - I am a new patient at this Dentist and I am so impressed with the professionalism I have experienced. I was made to feel very relaxed and there was no pressure to decide what I wanted doing to my gapped teeth. The hygienist was very helpful and friendly and it was the best clean and polish I have ever experienced . This is just the first step to my future treatment and I feel very confident they are going to make me happy
- After being let down and left in tears by my NHS dentist in an emergency, the Rock dental practice really came to my rescue. What a completely different experience! They were caring, explained everything fully and quickly resolved my predicament. I want to give a very special thank you to Steve , whose skill and expertise with dentures literally and perfectly gave me my smile back. A big thank you too, to Simran who I can fully recommend for extractions, I never felt a thing! And I'd like to give a mention to Faye on reception who is very welcoming and friendly. I can fully recommend the care and expertise I have received at this practice and will be returning.
- I have been a patient here for nearly 10 years and it just gets better and better. A great dental practice and the team are just amazing. Friendly and welcoming. Truly wonderful dental practice.
- I've never been to a dentist before even though I'm in my 20s. I've always heard of people hating their dental visits but Mr Nandra was fantastic! Very professional and pleasant, answered all my questions and explained everything in detail! Great experience!
Hopefully my next appointment with the hygienist will be as great! - I have been a patient at this practice for a number of years and have always found them to be caring and professional. Had my first appointment at their new location today. It's slightly nearer to town than the old location and is very smart and spacious. I'm sure that the treatment there will be as efficient as the old one.
- Fitted me in very quickly for an emergency appointment when my dentist was ill.
The dentist I saw did a thorough examination to establish problem, including taking an x-ray of the problem tooth. Whilst the x-ray was being uploaded she explained to me what she thought the problem was. When the x-ray came through she posted it on the screen so that I could see what and where the problem was whilst she explained. She prescribed antibiotics and advised me to keep my dental appointment on Tuesday at my usual dentist. Thank you. - I visited recently to have my wisdom teeth removed, the procedure was quick and comfortable. The practice is extremely well presented and all of the team are very friendly.
Thank you to Dr Nadra and the team. - I had a fantastic experience with Simran Bains! From the moment I arrived, she made me feel comfortable and at ease. She is incredibly kind, professional, and attentive to her patients' needs. She took the time to explain everything clearly and made sure I was comfortable throughout my visit. Her gentle approach and caring nature truly set her apart. I highly recommend Simran Bains to anyone looking for a skilled and compassionate dentist. Thank you for the excellent care!
- Ultimate Halloween horror today. I went to the dentist this morning. It was a long job. I was given a local anaesthetic, layed back horizontally in the chair. Various clamps and grips were fixed in my mouth to keep my mouth open and my head still. Above me were three white bright lights. The surgeon set to work with her high speed drill. My mouth filled with water and I gasped to get my breath...Then.....Then I saw the WASP.
It circled me angrily, trying to get to the light.
Frantically I gasped and gurgled and pointed to the wasp .........
Just joking folks! Although there really was a big fat wasp in the surgery it was high on the ceiling and a familar sight to the team.
Excellent work done yesterday on my 4 front teeth. Thank you very much. - A great and friendly service.
Really impressed with everything about Rock Dental.
Keep up the good work. Would highly recommend to anyone - Lovely experience at the dentist. It is a warm, inviting place and I was seen by the excellent Mr Bushell. He was very patient, thorough and explained everything very well. Highly recommend the practice.
- Another excellent experience. Dr Nandra, Dawn and the team are always friendly and professional and make a potentially nerve wracking experience, for the anxious-patient like me, relaxed and (almost!) enjoyable. I can't recommend Rock House highly enough. Thanks again for your care and kindness guys.
- I went for an appointment with Dr Bushell this morning. I must say i was nervous when i got there but he put me at ease straight aways with his personable and calming with his approach. He explained everything that he was going to do and honesty made my experience very pleasant. He explained the dental plan very well which i have now sighed up for. The receptionist helped me set it up and was very warm and friendly. I would like to say a big thank you to all of the staff there.
- I came to the practice a couple of weeks ago for the first time. The staff were very professional and welcoming and made the whole experience comfortable. All staff took their time to answer my questions and made me feel at ease. Will definitely go back.
