Questions and Answers

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Dencover was developed by Dr David James, a dentist with 20 years experience and he’s regularly asked all sorts of questions about dental hygiene. Here’s just a small selection that we thought you might like to know about:

Q Is an electric toothbrush more effective than an ordinary toothbrush?

A “Yes I would certainly recommend one and, from experience, I have found that sonic toothbrushes are particularly good as they are both thorough and gentle.”

Q When should I take my child to the dentist for her first check-up?

A “I always suggest that three years old is the ideal time.”

Q How can I tell if my teeth are really clean?

A “The most effective way is to use disclosing tablets – these leave a temporary stain on your teeth and gum-line in those areas where plaque is present so you can actually see for yourself how effective your brushing has been - ask your dental hygienist to provide some for you.”

Q At what age should my child be assessed for a brace, and can my dentist do this or will we have to go to an orthodontist?

A “This very much depends on each individual case, but as a guide an assessment by the age twelve is usually advised. General dentists can normally make that assessment, but an orthodontic specialist is often recommended for the treatment plan.”

Q Is it necessary to visit my dentist every six months, or is an annual visit enough?

A “Obviously individual cases vary, but it is safest to maintain the conventional six monthly interval unless advised otherwise.”

Q At what age should you start flossing?

A “Generally in the teenage years.”

Q Sometimes my gums bleed whilst cleaning them - should I visit my dentist for a check-up?

A “Yes – bleeding when brushing is the first sign of gum disease, so a routine appointment is definitely recommended.”

Q I eat a lot of fresh fruit everyday, including apples, oranges and berries – are these damaging to my teeth?

A “Obviously fruit is extremely beneficial to overall health – the only recommendation I would make is to avoid excess consumption of acid fruits and their juices.”

Q Do dental whitening products damage your teeth?

A “Coarse toothpastes, those designed for smokers for example, scour the tooth surface and I wouldn’t personally recommend them. However, none of the tooth whitening chemicals contained in such toothpastes are harmful the teeth at all.”

Q Am I doing the right thing by using a mouthwash twice a day?

A “Mouthwashes do not replace proper, effective brushing and flossing, and should only be relied upon to freshen the breath.”

Q Is fear of going to the dentist a real phobia?

A “Many people have a fear of dentists, it is called Odontophobia. It is a real phobia, so if you have it, you are not alone. In reality though this fear can at times be unfounded. You see, fear does not stem from something that is going to happen but from not knowing what is going to happen.”

If you have any particular concerns about your dental health, please seek professional advice from your dentist. And if you think you have an interesting question that you think should be featured on this page, please drop us an email on care@Dencover.com

Which Anesthetics Do Dentists Use & How Do They Work?

*This is not medical advice!

Definition: Local anesthetic (in dental terms) refers to the injection given in the mouth by a dentist to numb the area before undergoing a dental procedure. Novocaine has basically become a generic name for most of the local anesthetics that are used in dentistry today.

The most commonly used local anaesthetic is lidocaine (also called xylocaine), a modern replacement for novocaine and procaine. Its half-life in the body is about 1.5-2 hours. Other local anaesthetics in current use include septocaine, marcaine (a long-acting anaesthetic), and mepivacaine. A combination of these may be used depending on the situation. Also, most agents come in two forms: with and without epinephrine.

The most common technique, effective for the lower teeth and jaw, is inferior alveolar nerve anaesthesia. An injection blocks sensation in the inferior alveolar nerve, which runs from the hinge of the jaw down the back of the mandible, connecting to the lower teeth, lower lip, chin, and tongue. The inferior alveolar nerve probably is anesthetised more often than any other nerve in the body. To anesthetise this nerve, the dentist inserts the needle somewhat posterior to the patient’s last molar.

Several non dental nerves are usually anesthetised during an inferior alveolar block. The mental nerve, which supplies cutaneous innervation to the anterior lip and chin, is a distal branch of the inferior alveolar nerve. When the inferior alveolar nerve is blocked, the mental nerve is blocked also, resulting in a numb lip and chin. Nerves lying near the point where the inferior alveolar nerve enters the mandible often are also anesthetized during inferior alveolar anaesthesia. For example, the lingual nerve can be anesthetized to produce a numb tongue.

The facial nerve lies some distance from the inferior alveolar nerve, but in rare cases anesthetic can diffuse far enough posteriorly to anesthetise that nerve. The result is a temporary facial palsy (paralysis or paresis), with the injected side of the face drooping because of flaccid muscles, which disappears when the anaesthesia wears off. If the facial nerve is cut by an improperly inserted needle, permanent facial palsy may occur.

The superior alveolar nerves are not usually anesthetised directly because they are difficult to approach with a needle. For this reason, the upper are usually anesthetised locally by inserting the needle beneath the oral mucosa surrounding the teeth.

A numbing agent that is either applied to or injected into a small area of the body. It results in decreased pain sensation at the site of injection. Typical uses include numbing our mouth before dental work or numbing the site of a skin abscess before making the incision.

In the case of spinal pain, local anaesthetics are often used as a diagnostic tool to help doctors determine the exact place in your spine from which the pain originates. Diagnostic injections are done to identify the place to treat. If a local anaesthetic injected into a specific area that is suspect relieves your pain, your doctor knows where to treat you. To complete the diagnosis, the doctor will correlate that information with the findings from your MRI, CT scan or other diagnostic imaging test.

Lidocane is the most common local anaesthetic used. Local anaesthetics generally last no more than two hours. Should your doctor determine that a nerve block will likely help relieve your back or neck pain for a longer duration, the medication used for that treatment may contain a local anaesthetic. In that case, the local anaesthetic might be the only substance in the medication, or it may be mixed with other substances, including steroids.