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Smoking and your Heart

Smoking has long been identified as a major public health hazard, with its devastating impact on the cardiovascular system being a well-documented consequence. In this blog post, we will explore the intricate relationship between smoking and heart health. From the immediate dangers to the long-term consequences, understanding this connection is crucial for anyone looking to protect their cardiovascular well-being.

The Immediate Dangers to your heart

One of the most immediate effects of smoking on heart health is the rapid increase in blood pressure. The nicotine in tobacco smoke stimulates the release of adrenaline, which raises heart rate and constricts blood vessels. These combined effects force the heart to work harder to pump blood, leading to elevated blood pressure levels, a significant risk factor for heart disease.

Smoking also reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the heart muscle. Carbon monoxide, a harmful gas found in cigarette smoke, binds to the red blood cells more strongly than oxygen, making it difficult for oxygen to bind to these cells. As a result, the heart muscle receives less oxygen, putting it at risk of damage and dysfunction.

The Long-Term Consequences

Increased Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Smoking is a leading cause of coronary heart disease (CHD), a condition where plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, narrowing them and reducing blood flow to the heart. This can lead to chest pain (angina) or a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Smoking contributes to CHD by promoting the accumulation of arterial plaque and increasing inflammation within the arteries.

Atherosclerosis

Smoking plays a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis, a condition where fatty deposits accumulate on the inner walls of arteries. These deposits can restrict blood flow and, in turn, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Smoking not only promotes the formation of these fatty deposits but also makes them more likely to rupture, leading to life-threatening blood clots.

Irregular Heartbeat

Smokers are at a higher risk of experiencing irregular heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation, which can increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. Nicotine and other chemicals in cigarette smoke can disrupt the electrical signalling in the heart, leading to arrhythmias.

Increased Risk of Heart Failure

Smoking is a significant risk factor for heart failure, a condition where the heart cannot pump blood effectively to meet the body’s needs. Smoking weakens the heart muscle over time, making it less efficient at pumping blood and leading to heart failure.

Greater Risk for Second-hand Smoke Exposure

Not only is smoking harmful to the person doing it, but exposure to second-hand smoke is also detrimental to the heart health of those around smokers. Second-hand smoke contains many of the same toxic chemicals that are present in mainstream smoke, putting non-smokers at risk for the same cardiovascular problems.

Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart-related issues and improve your overall health. If you’re a smoker looking to protect your heart, seeking support and resources to quit smoking is a crucial step towards a longer, healthier life. Your healthcare provider can offer guidance and support tailored to your needs. Remember, quitting smoking is a powerful act of self-care that can significantly benefit your heart and your well-being.

Maintaining Healthy Smiles this Halloween

As Halloween approaches, the excitement in the air is undeniable. Costumes are being chosen, pumpkins are being carved, and the promise of sweets is all around. It’s a holiday that children and adults alike look forward to, but it’s also a time that can concern dentists. Yes, we’re talking about the sweet and spooky holiday of Halloween.

But let’s not be the dental curmudgeons who dampen your candy joy! Instead, we’re here to offer a different perspective – one that combines the fun of Halloween with a focus on maintaining healthy smiles. So, grab your broomstick or put on your vampire fangs because we’re about to embark on a Halloween journey through the eyes of a dentist.

Understanding the Halloween Sweet Dilemma

Before we delve into the dental dos and don’ts of Halloween, let’s grasp why sweets can be a potential dental nightmare. Many of the popular Halloween treats are high in sugar, which can lead to tooth decay. The bacteria in our mouths love to feast on sugars, producing acids that erode enamel and lead to cavities.

Now, we’re not saying to skip the treats entirely – that would be a ghastly proposition on Halloween night! Instead, let’s explore some strategies to enjoy your sweets while minimising the impact on your dental health.

1. Choose Wisely: The Sweet Selection

When you’re out trick-or-treating or selecting sweets to hand out, consider opting for sweets that are less damaging to your teeth. Sugar-free gum or sweets sweetened with xylitol can be less harmful because they stimulate saliva production, which helps neutralize acids and protect your teeth.

2. Timing is Key: Sweet Consumption

The longer your teeth are exposed to sugar, the more harm it can do. Encourage your little witches and wizards to enjoy their sweets after a meal, as this is when saliva production is at its peak and can help wash away sugars and acids.

3. Hydration Matters: Drink Water

Make sure your little goblins are staying hydrated with water throughout the evening. Water helps rinse away sugar and acids and keeps the mouth’s pH balanced.

4. Brush and Floss: The Aftermath

Once the Halloween festivities are over, make sure your little monsters brush and floss their teeth. Waiting for at least 30 minutes after consuming sweets is ideal to avoid brushing immediately after, as your enamel may be temporarily softened from the acids.

5. Don’t Forget the Dentist: Regular Check-ups

Encourage regular dental check-ups for your family, even after Halloween. This is essential for early detection and prevention of any dental issues that may arise.

Spooktacular Alternatives to Sweets

Halloween isn’t just about sweets – there are plenty of fun and healthy alternatives to keep the spirit alive. Consider giving out non-food treats like stickers, small toys, or temporary tattoos. These are not only enjoyable but also promote good dental hygiene.

Wrap-Up: Keeping Smiles Healthy

Halloween doesn’t have to be a nightmare for your dental health. With some strategic choices and good dental practices, you can enjoy the spooky season without sacrificing your smile. Remember, the key is moderation and smart choices. So, go ahead, have fun, and don’t forget to wear your fangs with pride, just as long as you remember to brush them afterward. Happy Halloween, and may your smiles stay spooky yet healthy!

Supportive periodontal care (scale and polish)

What is scaling?

Scaling is the removal of hard deposits from the surfaces of the teeth. Scaling is carried out by a dentist, dental therapist or hygienist.

Plaque is a soft, sticky substance that builds up on your teeth. It is mostly made up of bacteria.

The bacteria in plaque feed on sugar from food and drink, producing acids as a waste product. The acids attack the teeth by dissolving the minerals in the tooth surface. If this happens too often, tooth decay results.

And, if plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria in it can cause gum disease, making your gums sore and infected.

Tartar (also known as ‘calculus’), formed by hardened plaque, helps plaque to gather and makes it harder to remove when you brush. You can’t remove tartar just by brushing your teeth, but a dentist, dental therapist or hygienist can remove it using special instruments – this is known as scaling.

What is polishing?

A dentist, dental therapist or hygienist can also polish your teeth. This removes stains from coffee, tea, cigarettes or red wine; and it makes it more difficult for plaque to stick to your teeth.

If you clean your teeth very thoroughly at home, your scale and polish treatment will take less time.

What happens?

Dentists, dental therapists and hygienists use two types of precision instrument for scaling:

• Hand precision instruments are made of metal and come in different sizes and shapes, to reach different parts of the teeth. This is why you will see the dentist, dental therapist or hygienist changing instruments quite often.

• Sonic/ultrasonic precision instruments use a tip that vibrates very fast in a stream of water. The water is removed from your mouth using a small suction device. A hand precision instrument is also used along with a sonic/ultrasonic instrument, to check whether the teeth are completely clean.

For polishing, your dentist, dental therapist or hygienist will use a rotating brush or rubber polisher with a special toothpaste.

If you have periodontal disease, it may be necessary to carry out deep scaling (periodontal treatment) to clean root surfaces below the level of the gum. You may need a local anaesthetic prior to periodontal treatment.

Your dentist, dental therapist or hygienist will also tell you about the best way to clean your teeth and gums thoroughly at home.

Etch-retained restorations

What are they?

Many of the newer dental materials are adhesive, which means that they stick or ‘bond’ to teeth. The surface of the tooth needs to be made slightly rough so that the repair (the ‘restoration’) can grip properly. This is called ‘etching’ and your dentist will use a harmless mild acid. ‘Etch-retained restorations’ are any repairs attached to the tooth in this way – either fillings, veneers, inlays or onlays.

What will my dentist do?

Your dentist will:

• sometimes numb the tooth, but this is not always needed

• dab the etching acid onto the tooth surface that needs to be roughened

• leave the acid on the tooth for a short time while you keep your mouth open

• wash the tooth very thoroughly with a jet of water, which is sucked out of your mouth through a tube held by the dental nurse

• dry the tooth and check the surface (it might need to be etched again, in the same way)

• paint the ‘bonding agent’ (a sort of glue) onto the roughened area, before filling the tooth or applying some other sort of restoration.

What are the benefits?

• The bond between the tooth and the restoration can be very strong so that the restoration stays in place for a long time. .Even if the bond breaks, it may be possible to re-glue the restoration in place.

• Because restorations are held in place by the bonding agent and not just by the shape of the tooth, less of the natural tooth is lost.

Veneers

What are they?

A veneer is a thin layer of tooth-coloured material that is put onto the front of the tooth to make it look better. This is done because the tooth might have been damaged by decay or an accident, or might be badly discoloured for some reason.

What will my dentist do?

Veneers are usually made out of porcelain by a dental technician. You will have to visit the dentist more than once for this type of veneer.

• Your dentist will check any fillings in the teeth first.

• A very small amount of natural tooth material needs to be removed – just enough to prevent the veneer making the tooth look or feel bulky. For this reason, it may not be necessary for the dentist to numb the tooth.

• Preparation time will depend on how damaged the tooth is and whether it needs to be built up with a filling first.

• The dentist will need to use a putty0like material to make a mould of your moth (called an ‘impression’), so the dental technician can tell the shape and size of veneer to make for you.

• Your dentist will glue the veneer made by the technician to the tooth when you next visit.

• Veneers sometimes come away from the tooth or break if the tooth is knocked or if you clench or grind your teeth. They can sometimes be glued back on, but will have to be replaced if they are damaged.

• Occasionally, sensitivity or death of the nerve can occur.

Some veneers are built up on the tooth directly using the same material that is used for white fillings. The surface of the tooth is roughened with a mild acid. Then white filling material is applied in layers until the teeth look right.

Your dentist may recommend trying internal bleaching of the tooth prior to veneer placement. Sometimes this can lighten the tooth sufficiently so that a veneer is not required, or if the tooth is very dark, it can lighten the shade making it easier for the veneer to mask the discolouration.

What are the benefits?

• Veneers can greatly improve your appearance. They hide imperfections, and you lose very little natural tooth material.

• Veneers also protect teeth from any more damage. Tooth surface can be dissolved away by acid in the mouth (usually from too frequent consumption of certain kinds of food and drink); this can make teeth very sensitive to hot and cold. In this situation, veneers can protect the teeth.

If the tooth is strong, a veneer is often a better option than a crown for improving a tooth’s appearance.

Fixed bridges

What are they?

A bridge fixes a replacement tooth (or teeth) to one or more remaining natural teeth or implants. Some bridges have crowns at each end. Others are fixed to the surface of the teeth next to the gap. Sometimes a bridge is only fixed to the tooth on one side of the gap.

Bridges are made of metal and porcelain or sometimes just porcelain.

What will my dentist do?

There are several stages in making a bridge:

• The dentist uses a soft, mouldable material to take impressions of your mouth. A dental technician makes exact plaster models of your uppper and lower teeth and gums, which show how your teeth bite together.

• The teeth that will support the bridge are prepared to take the fixings and to make sure that the bridge is not too bulky.

• Another impression is taken of the teeth and any gaps, and the dental technician uses this to make the bridge. A plastic temporary bridge or temporary crown may be fitted in the meantime.

• At your final visit, the dentist will check that the bridge fits, make any minor adjustments and then fix it permanently in place. Your dentist or hygienist will show you the best way of keeping your new bridge clean.

What are the benefits?

• A bridge lets you almost forget that you have missing teeth.

• It can improve the way you look, bite, chew and speak.

• The teeth can be matched to the colour of your own teeth.

• A bridge can last many years if you keep it and the adjacent soft tissue clean and if there is no accidental damage.

• Natural teeth are protected from wear and tear, and from moving or tilting out of line, which could cause your teeth to bite together incorrectly.

Other options…

It may be possible to restore small spaces with one or more dental implants. This has the advantage that adjacent teeth do not need to be cut, but the disadvantage that a surgical procedure is required, and treatment time may be extended. Implants are not widely available within the NHS, apart from in certain situations.

Another option for a small space could be a ‘minimum preparation bridge’, where the false tooth is held in place with a wing that is bonded onto adjacent teeth. This involves less destruction of tooth tissue but can require repair or replacement.

Longer, or multiple, spaces may be restored with acrylic or metal partial dentures. These are removable and so are easier to keep clean; it’s also easier to clean the adjacent natural teeth. However, some patients find dentures difficult to tolerate.