ASIANA WEDDING INTERNATIONAL | 165DENTALQ & A
Have a question about teeth and dental hygiene? Dr Manrina Rhode has the answer...
Have a question for Manrina? You can email our Resident Dental Expert Dr Manrina Rhode at [email protected]DENTAL
Manrina graduated from Guys Hospital London
in 2002 and has since become known as one of
the top female cosmetic dentists in the UK. She
continued her education at top institutions around
the world, achieving a Masters level in Advanced
Aesthetic Dentistry at the prestigious New
York Dental Institute and Advanced OcclusionTechniques. Her expertise in cosmetic dentistry
led to her being appointed as the first female
dentist for Harvey Nichols and Harrods, working
with some of the best clinics in the country before
joining the team at Harley Street Dental Studio as a
General and Cosmetic Dentist.ABOUT DR MANRINA RHODE
What is the proper
way to brush your
teeth? I brush twice
a day but I still see that some
plaque is left behind – should
I brush for longer or is it
more about technique?
I always ask my
patients to brush
pro-actively or
mindfully. Quite often people
pick up their brush and walk
around doing other things
while brushing their teeth. I
like the rechargeable
brushes rather than a manualbrush because
it’s easier to get
a really good
clean. It’s like
washing a car by
hand or with a jet
wash. Also the timer on
the rechargeable brushes
really helps as two minutes is
actually quite a long time to
brush. I ask patients to
spend 30seconds on each
quadrant of the mouth.
Within that 30 seconds,
consciously brush the
outside tooth gum margin(plaque typically collects at
the tooth gum margin),
inside tooth gum margin and
the tops of the teeth (biting
surface). If you are touching
every surface of every tooth
there is no way plaque can
collect.I’ve been told my teeth
should be stronger but I
don’t like drinking milk so
what other options are there?
Should I take a calcium supplement
or are there any teeth
strengthening treatments
available?
Drinking milk is not the best
way to strengthen your teeth. If
your teeth feel weak then there
are fluoride treatments available that
would work better to strengthen your
enamel. Make sure you are using
fluoride toothpaste. There are special
strengthening toothpastes for example
Regenerate, which you could try. In
terms of treatments, there are options
open to you. Bonding and veneers are
best because they reinforce the teeth.My wisdom teeth are
causing me a lot of pain but
I don’t like operations so I
don’t want to have them removed,
what will happen if I leave them?
The NICE guidelines in the
U.K. (the guidelines we follow)
state that if you have two
episodes of pericoronitis (wisdom tooth
pain), then it’s time to have them taken
out. The problem with not taking them
out is you can end up with an abscess or
issues with the tooth next to it. There
are a lot of rumours about painful
wisdom teeth extractions but with the
right dentist/oral surgeon it doesn’t have
to be a bad experience. Also the
procedure can be done under sedation
so you are asleep or much more relaxed.I keep seeing
adverts for mouthwash
and I don’t know if I should
use it? I brush my teeth twice a
day but do I need to use mouthwash
too? What are the benefits?
First and foremost mechanical brushing is
very important. It’s recommended that you
brush for two minutes twice a day, flossing
to clean in between the teeth. Mouthwash
is not so important apart from in special
situations. Consult with your hygienist
but generally mouthwash is just to
make your mouth feel fresh.ALL SMILES: Patient
Natasha embracing
her beautiful new teeth
after a recent treatment