The location of the clinic will remain at the following address: 09-26 Novena Medical Centre, 10 Sinaran Dr, Singapore 307506

The dental experience we provide here will remain unchanged in quality and service; the same group of dentists, clinicians and nurses will continue to serve you with the same level of care and dedication we have over the years. 

We are also pleased to inform you that we will now offer a more comprehensive suite of services than previously offered at Smile Makers. This includes procedures addressing a wide range of oral issues including gum treatment, jaw joint therapy, and pulp treatment. 

We look forward to continue providing you with excellent oral care and being your trusted dental choice.

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As Singapore shifts towards a new normal, more economic and social activities have been allowed to resume progressively and safely. Like many healthcare organisations, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has permitted the resumption of the full range of services in all dental clinics. 

At Nuffield Dental, the safety of all our patients, staff, and their families is our utmost priority. Thus, we have implemented precautionary measures following directives by MOH and Singapore Dental Association (SDA) in all our clinics to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore.

Here are a few measures that we have put in place in all our clinics:

• All visitors to the clinic are required to use SafeEntry digital check-in and check-out. We all have a part to play to collectively prevent new clusters from forming. We seek your assistance to use SafeEntry to record your arrival and departure times to facilitate contact tracing. In addition, you will need to complete a health and travel declaration form.
• We will only see patients by appointments to enforce effective social distancing between treatments. We seek your understanding and cooperation to stick to your scheduled appointments to prevent crowded waiting areas.
• All dentists and clinic staff are equipped with full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when providing care to all patients.
• All patients are limited to one accompanying person when visiting the dental clinic. This is to minimise potential cross infections between patients and visitors.
• We will provide greater care and consideration to all visitors of vulnerable groups. Vulnerable groups include people aged 60 and over, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women who should take particular care and minimise contact with others outside of their household. 
• We will continue to uphold enhanced infection control practices. As part of our social distancing and deep sanitation measures, we have implemented a mandatory downtime of at least 15 minutes between patients to ensure adequate time for proper disinfection of our surgery room. All patients will be provided with hand sanitiser for hand rubs pre and post-treatment. Masks are to be worn at all times inside the clinic.
• Patients will be provided with a one-minute mouth rinse before starting any dental procedure. All our clinics are using ORASYL Orange Clinical mouthwash, a professional oral health mouth rinse formulated with 1% Povidone-Iodine. 

Although the road ahead of us is unpredictable, all of us at Nuffield Dental would like to extend our utmost gratitude to all patients and visitors who have cooperated with us throughout the last few months. It has been heartwarming to witness how we are capable of standing together to care for others. 

As we only see patients by appointment, we strongly encourage you to pre-book an appointment via our hotline at 6833 4353 in advance. 

Thank you for entrusting your dental health with us. Please stay safe. 

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Gum disease is a common dental problem that many experience, but often ignore. Reports have shown that nearly half of all adults have experienced some form of gum disease, and there’s a good chance that you may have it too. The four main signs of early gum disease are redness of the gums (gum inflammation), puffiness of the gums, bleeding from the gums and bad breath. 

Visit our last blog post to read more on the warning signs of the early stages of gum disease.

What happens if you ignore the Signs of Gum Disease?

Plaque and tartar (calculus) are bad bacteria that accumulate along the gum line. When not properly removed, plaque and tartar cause gum disease. A lack of good oral hygiene causes the bacteria to continue to accumulate around your teeth and gums and do more damage to your oral health. If you ignore the early signs of the disease, it can potentially spread from your gums to the bone that lies underneath the gums – and destroy the bone. That’s right, the bone of your jaws. 

Often you won’t see this because the bacteria accumulates in pockets below the gum. Within these deep periodontal pockets, the bacteria lie safely and slowly destroys the bone causing bone loss. 

Bone once gone, cannot be replaced – not without complex surgery. When bone is lost you may notice that the teeth will look longer. The gums will lift away from the teeth forming receding gums and deeper pockets that trap even more bacteria. In this stage of gum disease, treatment is much more complex involving many stages of deep cleaning and perhaps even surgery. 

Advanced Gum Disease (Periodontitis) 

In more advanced stages, the teeth can become shaky and even drift or move out of position.  In the terminal stages, the teeth are so shaky that they may need to be removed.  

But that’s not all, remember gum disease is a bacterial infection. And what happens in the mouth does not stay in the mouth. 

The bacteria from your diseased gums can enter your bloodstream and cause harm in other parts of your body.  More research has shown that there is an association with advanced gum disease and conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal states that those with gum disease had a 25% increased risk of coronary heart disease. 

There is growing evidence that a diseased mouth is associated with other conditions like preterm births, arthritis and lung infections. When you think about it, this is not strange or surprising. After all,your body is one integrated whole. Your mouth is not separate from your body.

Everyone should be able to understand and identify the early signs of gum disease. You should visit your dentist, or a dental professional for a thorough cleaning regularly. The recommendation is twice a year to remove plaque and calculus.

Learn the correct ways of keeping your mouth healthy, and practice them daily at home. 

This is the way to prevent periodontitis or gum disease.

The post Signs of Gum Disease (Part 2) | Smile Makers Dental appeared first on Smile Makers Dental.

Did you know that gum disease is a very common dental problem? A survey completed in the US found that nearly half of all adults had some form of gum disease. In Singapore, the situation would be quite the same. Gum disease is common because in the early stages of the disease,  the signs of the disease are very subtle. It’s very easy not to notice them. 

Think back, were there days when after brushing your teeth, you spit out your toothpaste and you find that your toothpaste has turned pink? Or you look at your toothbrush and there are red stains on the brus?. If you have noticed either of these,you might be having gum disease. 

To help you identify the signs of gum diseases, we’ve prepared a list of the warning signs of gum disease that you should look out for. Read on to find out more.

4 Signs of Gum Disease

• Redness of the Gums

One of the first signs of gum infection is gingivitis. This is the initial stage of periodontal or gum disease that causes redness of the gums. Have a look at this picture, can you see the slight redness of the gums? 

A common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene. If left untreated by the dentist or dental hygienist, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis and result in bone loss around the tooth. 

• Puffy or Swollen Gums

Another sign of gum disease is the inflammation of the gums causing it to look puffy or swollen. Puffy or swollen gums is another sign of gingivitis. 

Gingivitis is the  result of poor dental hygiene causing bacterial plaque to constantly accumulate between  the gum line and teeth. When you lack good oral hygiene or skip regular professional cleanings, the built up bacterial plaque causes inflammation. 

• Bleeding from the Gums

Did you know that bleeding from the gums is not normal? If you bleed easily when brushing your teeth, it is a sign that something is not right. The primary reason for bleeding gums is the accumulation of plaque at the gum line. 

When bacterial plaque is not removed properly, it will harden into tartar or calculus, resulting in increased bleeding and a more advanced stage of gum and bone disease known as periodontitis. If you experience frequent bleeding of the gums, we advise you to visit a dentist or dental hygienist to identify the extent of the  gum disease, and remove the accumulated plaque and calculus.

• Bad Breath 

Bad breath. Yes, bad breath – you can’t see it and people may not tell you about it. Persistent bad breath can be a sign of gum disease. After all, if you accumulate bacterial plaque and calculus and have a diseased mouth, your breath can’t smell sweet! 

Cause of Gum Disease

It’s bacteria. Bacteria that accumulate as plaque and tartar in between your teeth and around your gums. Plaque is the soft whitish film of bacteria that forms on your teeth soon after eating. Bacterial plaque can be removed with correct brushing and flossing techniques. Calculus (also known as tartar) is a hardened coating of bacteria. Both need to be removed by your dentist. 

What To Do If You Experience These Signs

Well, firstly, see your dentist and have your teeth and gums thoroughly cleaned. Your dentist can go into places that you can’t get into and clean away the debris that you can’t get rid of. After that, you will enjoy really clean smooth teeth. 

The next step is to learn how to clean your teeth well. We are happy to teach you how to brush or floss your teeth so that you can maintain clean, healthy teeth and gums.

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