FAQ’s

If you are travelling to your appointment at Sharrow Dental Practice by car, then there are a number of onsite parking spaces available. Alternatively, there is nearby on-street parking available with some exclusions between 9am – 11am.

Sharrow Dental is an NHS dental practice providing a wide range of top class dental services to both NHS and private patients all under one roof.

We provide free general dentistry services for NHS patients under the age of 18 which covers regular check-ups and a number of treatments, including orthodontics for patients who qualify.

Dental treatments available on the NHS can include things such as;

• Dentures
• Root-canal treatment
• Crowns and bridges
• Fillings
• Preventive treatment (such as a scale and polish, when needed)
• Orthodontic (teeth straightening) treatment

This however does not cover cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening which is not medically necessary.

At your first appointment all you need to bring is yourself! Our helpful reception staff will take some details from you including your personal contact information and you will need to fill out a few short forms detailing your full medical history which will help us treat you safely and effectively.

Your dentist will then carry out a full check-up, assess the gums, teeth and overall oral hygiene as well as note any previous treatments and dental work. It may be necessary for them to take dental x-rays so they can ascertain a complete picture of your dental health. They will then be able to advise and discuss what they have found, any concerns you may have or potential treatments that might be required.

If you have a complex medical history, it might be useful to bring along a list of the medications that you take and a summary of your medical conditions.

Our patients will stay registered with us as long as they continue to attend their regular appointments.

Due to the high number of patients requiring NHS dental treatment, the waiting list can be very long and so we have no choice but to de-register patients who have failed to attend for two years or more.

We do work to send regular reminders to our patients using emails, text messages and letters, however, these can often go unread due to their details being out of date and no longer valid so it’s important to keep us informed of any changes to your contact information.

Quite often a person’s teeth or mouth can feel absolutely fine and they therefore assume that they don’t need to see a dentist. With your oral health, prevention is always better than cure and just because you don’t feel like there’s anything wrong doesn’t mean that is the case.

Attending regular check-ups with your dentist plays a pivotal role in the early diagnosis of things such as gum disease which if left untreated, can often leads to a number of dental issues including tooth loss!

Regular appointments also allow for consistent monitoring of your oral health which means that your dentist is able to provide helpful tips, guidance and information on what you can do to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

The frequency of appointments needed will depend on the individual patient, their teeth and overall oral health meaning that some people may need to go as often as every 3 months and some just once every 1-2 years.

However, as a general rule we recommend that those under 18 attend an appointment at least every 12 months unless told otherwise and for adults with good oral health once every 12-24 months, but your dentist will be able to advise you on this at your appointment.

Limiting the amount of sugar you consume is an important step to helping prevent tooth decay.

Some high sugar foods include;

• Sweets and biscuits
• Jams and spreads
• Soft drinks
• Fruit juices including ‘no added sugar’ squash
• Chocolate
• Fruit yoghurts and fromage frais
• Sauces, condiments, syrups and marinades
• Sugary cereals and bars

Brushing your teeth after consuming foods or drinks high in sugar is a good way to help minimise any negative effect they might have.

Brushing your teeth is a crucial and fundamental part of maintaining good oral hygiene. However, brushing alone might not be enough to prevent some dental issues from occurring.

Flossing once a day, preferably in the evening before you brush is recommended to help remove debris and bits of food in-between the teeth that the toothbrush can often miss and helps act as a pre-wash for your teeth.

Whether you use a manual or electric toothbrush, what is important is that you maintain the right brushing techniques.

Smoking can cause a number of different oral health issues including;

• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Bad breath
• Gum discolouration
• Loss of taste and smell
• Staining and discoloration of the teeth
• Cuts or ulcers take longer to heal
• Mouth and lip cancer

Smoking reduces the blood flow to the gums which causes many of the issues listed above and is the reason why smokers can be much more likely to lose teeth than non-smokers.

A small amount of bleeding during or after brushing can sometimes be expected especially if you are pregnant, have suffered a recent mouth injury or tend to brush too vigorously.

Some things which you can do yourself at home to help include;

• Practicing good oral hygiene
• Don’t brush your teeth too hard and use a soft or medium bristled brush
• Stop smoking
• Increase your intake of vitamins C and K
• Interdental cleaning with floss or interdental brushes
• Rinse your mouth with salt water

If you experience bleeding gums for more than 7 to 10 days, then you should contact your dentist for an appointment to check that everything is OK. It might be that you require dental cleaning to help remove the excess build up of plaque and tartar which will help to promote gum healing.

For people with diabetes, problems with teeth and gums can be more common, so maintaining good oral hygiene is an essential part of keeping your mouth and teeth healthy.

If you have new-onset or long standing type 1 or 2 diabetes, it is important that you make your dentist aware as this can affect the treatment you need and the frequency of check-ups you require.

A tooth being knocked out doesn’t necessarily mean that it is gone for good. If recovered and treated quickly it can often be repositioned in the mouth and saved.

If your tooth is knocked out, be sure to do the following;

• Find the missing tooth
• Wash it very carefully (rinse under cool water for no longer than 10 seconds) and remove dirt or debris
• Avoid scrubbing or touching any of the root surface which can damage the delicate fibres
• Hold the tooth by the crown
• If possible, within 60 minutes of being knocked out, reposition the tooth back in the socket
• If this isn’t possible then place the tooth in a cup of milk and contact your dentist who will be able to advise you on the next steps
• Call us on 01245 354046 immediately to book an emergency appointment, even out of normal working hours, so that you can be seen by one of our dentists as soon as possible

The chances of a successful reattachment decrease the longer the tooth is out of the socket so acting quickly is essential.

Tooth decay occurs when plaque builds up and causes damage and holes in the teeth. Some of the early signs of tooth decay can be;

• Toothache
• Sensitivity in the teeth to cold or sweet things
• Tenderness when eating or drinking
• Bad breath
• Black, grey or brown spots on the teeth
• An unpleasant taste
• Food packing

Tooth decay is much easier to treat in the early stages so be sure to see your dentist as soon as possible if you are experiencing symptoms.

It can be difficult for patients to know when toothache requires professional attention. NHS advice is to contact your dentist for an urgent appointment if you have toothache that;

• Has persisted for more than 2 days
• Doesn’t go away with pain relief
• Is accompanied by a swollen cheek or jaw
• Causing a high temperature, red gums, a bad taste in the mouth or pain when biting

In the meantime, there are some things you can do at home to help;

• Take suitable pain relief
• Rinse your mouth with salt water (adults only)
• Try a pain relief gel for the mouth
• Eat soft, warm foods and try to avoid chewing in the affected area
• Do not smoke
• Avoid sweet, hard or sticky food and drink as well as those that are very hot or very cold

Here are some of the best ways to help prevent cavities;

• Use a fluoride toothpaste
• Brush twice a day
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with reduced sugars
• Reduce intake of sugary, acidic drinks
• Drink more water
• Floss regularly
• Quit smoking
• Attend regular dental check ups

Due to hormonal changes in the body, pregnancy can cause the gums to be more vulnerable to things such as plaque. If not properly monitored, this can sometimes lead to inflammation, bleeding and even ‘pregnancy gingivitis’ or gum disease.

Please note that bleeding gums during pregnancy is avoidable, provided that you are extremely vigilant in the way that you look after your teeth and gums. Spend at least two minutes brushing, then gently clean between every one of your teeth with floss or small dental brushes.

Please be sure to make your dentist aware of your pregnancy to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken during your appointments and so that they can help advise and treat you in a way that is as effective as possible. Gum disease treatment remains safe, effective and important during pregnancy so please take the advice that your dentist and hygienist give you.

As your dentists we will never put aesthetic appearance over the health and wellbeing of our patients and their teeth. We only recommend and provide treatment that is in the best interests of the patients who have been presented with the most viable options for their individual case and have been able to make an informed decision on their chosen treatment plan.

All of our cosmetic dental treatments are extremely safe and any potential risks or side effects are minimal and always clearly explained to the patients prior to commencing treatment.