News Coverage
If you are experiencing sensitivity in your teeth or have experienced it in the past, you are not alone. Globally, about 33% of the population experience tooth sensitivity. In Singapore, two studies conducted by GlaxoSmithKline in 2009 indicated that between 23-25% of Singaporeans suffered from sensitive teeth.
People may report sensitivity to a variety of stimuli including cold drinks, hot soups, sweet or sour food and tooth brushing. This sensitivity may be transient or lingering. Transient sensitivity may not bother the person much, but lingering, high intensity sensitivity is more debilitating.
Causes of Sensitivity
Normal, healthy teeth have an outer layer of enamel protecting the sensitive underlying layer of dentine. The roots of normal teeth are also covered by bone and gums. No dentine is exposed, so there is no sensitivity to normal stimuli during eating and drinking.
Possible causes of the increased incidence of sensitive teeth include:
- Gum disease – As people are keeping their teeth for a longer time due to a reduction in dental caries, more of these teeth may be exposed to periodontal disease. Gum disease is often a silent, slowly progressing, inflammatory process that causes loss of the bone and gums around roots of teeth. When the roots are exposed, sensitivity will be felt.
- Wear and tear of teeth – Whether through function or through excessive grinding of teeth (bruxism), the enamel on the biting surfaces is worn down and underlying dentine is exposed. Over time, fillings may be worn or teeth cracked. This can also result in sensitivity.
- Overbrushing or Type of Toothbrush used – People who brushing their teeth too frequently and who use a hard-bristled toothbrush or brush aggressively will end up scrubbing away the thin gum covering the root surfaces. The exposed roots can also be subsequently abraded by aggressive brushing and lead to sensitivity.
- Decayed teeth – As the decay progresses, the sensitivity increases in intensity and duration (lingering). If there is a painful reaction to hot stimulus, then the tooth is likely to be irreversibly damaged and will require more extensive treatment.
- Consumption of carbonated drinks - Younger people are also experiencing tooth sensitivity perhaps due to increased consumption of drinks with acidic levels which may cause the erosion of the tooth enamel over time.
- Hormonal changes – Women who are pregnant are more predisposed to gum problems due to hormonal changes which may also result in sensitivity of teeth.
- Teeth whitening – in some cases, teeth whitening procedures may also result in sensitive teeth. Thus, it is important to ensure that consultation with a dentist is done before undergoing this procedure to minimize sensitivity issues. The degree of shades by which the teeth are whitened may also affect sensitivity.
Treatment Options
Treatment for sensitive teeth depends on the reason for sensitivity and the extent. Thus, treatment can range from using a desensitizing toothpaste, to professional application of certain gels and varnishes, or even fillings to cover the exposed surfaces.
Several companies have toothpastes and other oral care products targeted at sensitive teeth sufferers – these include Systema, Sensodyne and more recently, Colgate.
One little-known treatment possibility is the use of gum grafting to cover the exposed roots and bring the gum level back to the original position. This is a specialized surgical procedure that may benefit a small percentage of people with receding gums and exposed roots. You can find out more about this procedure by speaking with a periodontist (gum specialist).
Practical Tips
Some practical preventive tips include the following:
- Brush with a soft-bristled brush with gentle strokes. (Ask a dentist to teach you correct techniques).
- Floss between teeth;
- Don’t use a toothpick.
- Visit your dentist at least once in 6 months for thorough check-up and scaling (professional cleaning to remove hardened deposits of calculus).
- Rinse after consuming soft drinks or eating acidic food
The key for treating sensitive teeth is to determine what the source of sensitivity is – during the consultation, our dentists will try to determine the type of sensitivity the person experiences and from the responses, address the situation and find a resolution to the problem.
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A Tradition of Excellence
Specialist Dental Group™ has been established at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre in Singapore since 1979 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The Group is one of the largest multi-specialty dental clinics in Singapore and has nine treatment rooms in two clinics served by a team of seven leading dental specialists.
“Not many dental practices in Singapore have the distinction of being around for such a long time,” says Dr Neo Tee Khin, Managing Partner of Specialist Dental Group™. The late Dr. Henry Lee, founder of the clinic, was a well established oral surgeon who placed the first titanium dental implants in Singapore more than 20 years ago. This strong foundation in dental implants has continued today with Specialist Dental Group™ being one of the leading dental implant providers in Singapore.
According to Dr Ansgar C Cheng, Co-Managing Partner of the Group, the clinic was renamed Specialist Dental Group™ in 2008 to reflect the breadth and depth of the comprehensive dental solutions under one roof provided by its internationally trained/ qualified multi-specialty team.
The clinical team at Specialist Dental Group™ includes dentists with specialty training in prosthodontics (teeth replacement), periodontics (gum treatment), orthodontics (braces) and oral & maxillofacial surgery. Signature dental solutions include Teeth-in-an-Hour implants, Instant Implants™, conventional dental implants, Invisalign®, braces, oral surgery, gum treatment and crowns.
“The idea of a multi-specialty practice arose due to the higher demand and expectation of our patients. Having all our specialists in one place improves communication among them resulting in an excellent standard of care and convenience for our patients,” adds Dr. Neo. Patients benefit with reduced waiting times and can access dentists from different specialty areas with one appointment.
Another convenience is that due to the location of the clinic in a premier medical centre, patients can also schedule their medical and dental visits on the same day in the same building, minimizing the need to take extra time off their busy schedules.
The dental team at Specialist Dental Group™ is also experienced in treating patients with medical conditions such as cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart problems. One of the services offered to patients prior to undergoing cancer treatment (e.g., radiation or chemotherapy) or a major medical procedure (e.g. organ transplantation or heart surgery) is a Dental Assessment. Dental Assessments minimize the risk of oral complications developing in the middle of cancer treatment or post-surgery as a result of a pre-existing dental condition such as an infected tooth or gum disease. The significant cost savings and avoidance of physical and emotional trauma are some of the benefits of having a dental assessment.
Contribution to the Professional Community and to Public Awareness
Most of the dentists at Specialist Dental Group™ have taught or are currently teaching at the National University of Singapore and other international universities. They are also active contributors to international scientific journals and sit on the editorial boards of such publications. As opinion leaders in their respective specialty areas, they are regularly invited to speak at local and international dental conferences.
On the public awareness front, the dental team at Specialist Dental Group™ is passionate about educating the public about oral health, innovations in dentistry and the connection between good oral health and a healthy body. In conjunction with the 30th anniversary of Specialist Dental Group™’ this year, the clinic organized a public seminar with Channel NewsAsia – Putting the Sparkle Back Into Your Smile – A Dental Seminar that Bridges Function & Aesthetics, which was very well received with an audience of almost 600 people attending to learn more about oral health.
Getting Connected
In addition to the comprehensive information on dental procedures on the Specialist Dental Group™ website, patients are also able to make appointment bookings and enquiries as well as view videos. Specialist Dental Group™ also has a Blog, Facebook Fan Page and a Twitter account in order to be more accessible to patients.
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It has been about three weeks since our last blog posting…. and it has been a very hectic period for the team at Specialist Dental Group (SDG).
On August 25, Dr Ansgar Cheng was a guest on 938LIVE FM, on the Body & Soul show hosted by Daniel Martin. We were impressed with how knowledgeable Daniel Martin was on a wide range of health issues and he had certainly done his homework on dental issues. Dr Cheng answered questions from Daniel on dental implants and oral health. Several listeners also called in – questions were very diverse, covering abscesses in the mouth, teeth grinding, consumption of carbonated drinks and toothbrushing.
The week of September 2-5 was a busy one with Singapore playing host to the FDI World Dental Congress. Dentists from all over the world congregated in Singapore for several days of learning, sharing professional and clinical developments and of course, eating! We were privileged to host colleagues from Canada, Malaysia, USA, Germany, Hong Kong and Switzerland over the course of that period. More photos can be viewed from our Photo Album on our Facebook Fan Page.
On September 2, SDG did an unprecedented thing – we closed one of our clinics for the day to enable our staff to attend a full day training workshop during the FDI. We believe in continuous learning for our dentists and staff and are always striving to improve our knowledge and skills in order to serve our patients better.
Dr. Ansgar Cheng spoke on the Latest Technology to Help you Smile with Confidence at a public seminar, Your Mouth: More to it than you know which was organized by the Singapore Dental Association and Sensodyne. Several hundred people attended the talk at the Marina Mandarin Hotel. Other dental topics which were presented included Oral Cancer, Healthy Gums, Teeth Whitening, and the Link between Oral Health and Kidney Disease.
We are now gearing up for another community event – the Great Eastern Great Life, Great Health Carnival from September 17-20, 2009 at Tropics Atrium, Suntec. Look for more details in our next blog posting!
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We were delighted to find that one of our patients, and an attendee of our
Putting the Sparkle Back into your Smile seminar, has posted a review of her experience on her blog,
Seniors Aloud.
Do check it out!
Specialist Dental Group’s seminar, Putting the Sparkle Back into your Smile, organized together with Channel NewsAsia, was held on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at the Suntec Convention Centre auditorium from 2pm to 5:30 pm.
Drs. Elvin Leong, Ansgar Cheng, Ho Kok Sen, Eugene Chan, Patricia Yeong, Neo Tee Khin and Helena Lee
Close to 600 people spent several hours listening to six dental specialists from our clinic share about the latest developments in their respective specialty areas of dentistry.
“This is the first time that Specialist Dental Group™ has embarked on such a major public education program,” said Dr. Neo Tee Khin, Director and Prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group™.
“We thought that this was a great way to commemorate the 30th anniversary of our clinic,” added Dr. Ansgar C Cheng, Director and Prosthodontist with the clinic.
Specialist Dental Group™, formerly known as Henry Lee Dental Surgery, was founded by Dr. Henry Lee, a well-respected oral surgeon. Dr. Lee also placed the first titanium dental implants in Singapore more than 20 years ago and this strength in dental implants has continued to be reflected in the multi-specialty team at Specialist Dental Group™.
Staff of Specialist Dental Group
Comprehensive Selection of Topics Covered
Almost every major aspect of dentistry was covered from the relationship between oral health and overall health, to pain and anxiety management, and the latest developments in replacing missing teeth, straightening teeth, and creating a smile makeover.
The question and answer session
A Question and Answer Session was also held after the six presentations and the dental specialists answered questions on various topics including implants, braces, cracked teeth, whitening toothpaste, and many more.
Invisalign display
Nobel Biocare display
Sponsors of the event and the goody bags included Ezyhealth & Beauty, Nobel Biocare, Invisalign, Cosmetic Surgery & Beauty, Sensodyne, Parkway Health, Listerine, Lion Corporation, Clorets, Vicks, Salonpas, SA Dental and Philips Sonicare .
Goody bags
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Trailers for
“Putting the Sparkle Back into your Smile: A Dental Seminar that Bridges Function & Aesthetics” started airing on Channel NewsAsia today. The seminar, organized by Specialist Dental Group™ and Channel NewsAsia, will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at the Suntec Convention Centre in Singapore from 2pm to 5:30 pm. More information on the Seminar can be found at
http://www.specialistdentalgroup.com/events.php. The trailer for the event can also be viewed at the link.
“This is the first time that Specialist Dental Group™ is embarking on such a major public education program. We thought that this was a great way to commemorate the 30th anniversary of our clinic,” said Dr. Neo Tee Khin, Partner and Prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group™.
Specialist Dental Group™, formerly known as Henry Lee Dental Surgery, was founded by Dr. Henry Lee, a well-respected oral surgeon. Dr. Lee also placed the first titanium dental implants in Singapore more than 20 years ago and this strength in dental implants has continued to be reflected in the multi-specialty team at Specialist Dental Group™.
According to Dr. Ansgar C. Cheng, also a Partner and Prosthodontist with the clinic, six leading specialists from the clinic will be sharing their expertise with seminar attendees on the following topics:
· The Mouth & Body Connection;
· Restoring your Sparkling Smile;
· The Straight Truth about Braces;
· Dental Surgery Now Pain-Free; and
· Filling Gaps & Brightening Smiles
Tickets for the event can be purchased from SISTIC at http://www.sistic.com/
Major Sponsors of the Seminar include Nobel Biocare, Invisalign, Ezyhealth & Beauty and Cosmetic Surgery & Beauty.
Goody Bag Sponsors include Parkway Health, Lion Corporation, Sensodyne, Listerine, SA Dental Supply, Clorets, Vicks, Hisamitsu and Philips.
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When six-year old female clouded leopard at the
Night Safari, Yen Bai, broke her tooth while biting on a piece of log, she was not able to eat for a few days because of the pain. Yen Bai’s zookeeper contacted the zoo veterinarian for help, who in turn contacted a team of dental specialists to lend a hand.
Dr. Neo Tee Khin, Consultant Prosthodontist at Specialist Dental Group, was called in to make a crown for Yen Bai, after she had undergone root canal treatment by another dental specialist. On the day of the procedure, the leopard was sedated and general anesthesia was administered. Dr. Neo made an impression of Yen Bai’s mouth with an improvised dental tray and fitted the tooth with a temporary crown.
It was an interesting situation as the only reference or guide that he had in making the crown was the dry skull of another leopard. The shape of the crown that was fabricated was unlike the crowns that he was accustomed to working on in his regular practice as leopard teeth are very different anatomically from human teeth.
Further, Dr. Neo also had to research the diet and chewing pattern of the leopard in order to be familiar with its anatomy and bite. As the tooth that needed to be crowned was the primary tooth used to capture its prey and for tearing meat, the mechanical demand on the tooth was many times that of human teeth. The canine tooth in a leopard is easily more than 6cm long compared with human teeth which rarely exceed 3cm in length. The amount of gold used in fabricating the crown was also significantly more – about 25g versus 2-3g for a human tooth.
According to Dr Neo, his greatest satisfaction, after the procedure was done, was to see Yen Bai being able to eat properly again.
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A recent study published in the Australian Dental Journal has indicated that ethanol-based mouthwashes may increase the risk of developing oral cancer. The paper by Professor Michael McCullough of the University of Melbourne recommends against long term use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes.
Dr. Ansgar Cheng, Consultant Prosthodontist at Specialist Dental Group and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore, was quoted in a New Paper interview on the topic.
According to Dr. Cheng, Specialist Dental Group does not recommend that patients use mouthwash on a regular basis but only as indicated for their dental condition and only for a specific period of time, e.g. for patients recovering from oral surgery or having other oral problems. If patients are required to use mouthwashes, they are usually recommended a non alcohol-based mouthwash.”
Mouthwashes should be regarded as a topical application of medical substance – Professional common sense dictates that prescriptions of any medication should be prudent and specific to address a certain clinical situation with a specific clinical outcome in mind,” said Dr. Cheng.
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