Tender Dental Care
Dental Tips and Advice from Dr Bilverdi
Plain-English dental tips and advice from Dr Bilverdi, written to help you look after your teeth between visits and know when it's worth picking up the phone. Browse by topic using the categories, or search for something specific.
Not Replacing a Missing Tooth: What Actually Happens?
When a tooth is lost from the back of the mouth, where nobody can see it, the temptation to leave the gap alone is entirely reasonable. Not replacing a missing tooth is sometimes a perfectly sensible decision, and I will say so when it is. But it helps to know what...
Root Canal or Extraction: Which Is Better?
When a tooth is badly infected, there are two honest roads: treat the inside of the tooth and keep it, or remove it. Root canal or extraction is a decision patients often want made for them, and while I will always give a clear recommendation, it helps enormously to...
Are Shop-Bought Mouthguards Any Good?
If you grind your teeth, a mouthguard from the chemist costs a fraction of a custom one and is available this afternoon. So are shop-bought mouthguards any good, or is the price difference simply dentistry marking things up? The honest answer is that they have a...
Acid Erosion on Teeth: Is It Damaging Yours?
Acid erosion on teeth is the quiet cousin of tooth decay, and considerably more common than most people realise. Where decay is caused by bacteria producing acid in one spot, erosion is acid washing across the whole tooth surface, dissolving enamel evenly and...
Should I Replace My Metal Fillings?
Should I replace my metal fillings is a question I am asked several times a week, usually by someone who has noticed the dark shadows in their back teeth when they laugh. The honest answer, and it will not suit everyone, is: only if there is a reason to. A sound...