Q. I am suffuring from mouth smell and bad breeth plz anser me how can i get good breath,

Q. Dear Dr Caplin, I would be very grateful to recieve your view and informal advice. I am a British ex-pat living in Bahrain and following a visit to the dentist today, I would like to get a second view. The dental practice is well regarded but in Bahrain I am cautious of local health care. I have had some discomfort in my upper left middle molar (the one next to the back molar). FYI I have had my wisdom teeth removed some 15 years ago (I am 35). The discomfort is in the form of a sharpe pain with some cold foods, and recently sometimes when chewing. The pain does not last beyond a split second or so. The dentist x-rayed the area and did not mention any problems or decay. He said I simply needed to floss 3 times a day. He said (whcih I saw on the x-ray) that there is a gap between this tooth and the back molar of about 1mm or so, and that this is the cause. Meat gets lodged in the gap and apparantly causes decay/acid which is causing the pain. Simple flossing will stop the pain. He also recommened that I consider a bridge between the two teeth to block the gap and prevent food lodging. My first question is: Is this the only problem that is likley to be occuring? It seems a little straight forward. Is it possible that regular flossing will stop the pain and sensitivity? Or could there be something more significant going on? My concern then arose when he spotted my two front crowns. These are in need of replacement as they are over 15 years old and I have some gum disfiguration (very minor) from the few occassions I have knocked the caps out in my teens. He then suggested that if I had a budget I should get the front caps sorted to give me a better smile and use floss for the molar. My concerns are not cosmetic, but are with the pain in the molar so I want to ensure this is sorted as a priority. He quoted me GBP 1,200 for the molar bridge and GBP 1,400 for replacement of the two front caps. Having not had major dental work done in the UK for some time I would be grateful if you could advise if these costs seem reasonable. I’m sure they are not the cheapest in comparison to some UK dentists however, I would prefer to pay an appropriate amount (i.e. not the cheapest) to recieve good quality treatment. I look forward to your response at your earliest convenience. Regards Mr J Wolfe,

Q. I have recently just had veneers put in, and was just wondering if i could use dental floss still? many thanks,

Q. Hi, I am terribly worried. I am 52 and when I went for a routine 6 month check up the other day, I was told by my dentist that I have gum desease. she took an x ray and a lot of the bone on my lower gumms has eroded away. I am devastated! I have always looked after my teeth and never had a dentist show any real concern. I was told about 4 years ago that I had some slight pocketing but to keep flossing etc which I do daily and I have had my teeth de-scaled for years now. I have now been refered to a dental hygienist. Will I lose all my teeth? I am really scared and can’t sleep with worry. The thought of having false teeth terrifies me. Can this be reversed or even stopped in it’s tracks? I will do anything to remedy it. Please can you help?

Q. Should i floss once or twice aday and before or after brushing?

Q. Which is the best superfloss for bridge flossing, eg Thornton’s, Oral B? Many thanks for any advice

Q. I’m 22, and i brush my teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once every day… i haven’t been to a dentist check up in like 5 years… some of my teeth seem to be kind of loose, is not my finger or anything, i’ve tried with tweezers and they actually move a little bit…. i’m very concerned… I drink tons of milk and eat very healthy!

Q. I recently(3 months ago) had a crown done. When my dentist put the final crown on, the back side could not be flossed. After 30 minutes of trying he ended up drilling between the two teeth to make a gap. I now have what feels like a huge gap between my two back teeth. I can’t eat on that side because the teeth now are to sensitive. They weren’t that way with the temp crown. I went back to him and he told me I have pulpitis. What I want to know is this common to drill between two teeth?

Q. Since moving back to New Zealand 2 years ago I now suffer from dark staining on my teeth.I have not drunk tea or coffee for over 25 years , no red wine either.I do drink cammomile or peppermint tea. I use a good electric tooth brush & brush for over 2 mins twice per day & floss at night, my husband can attest to my oral hygeine standards, I used to nurse in the dental department of my training hospital.I am dairy & gluten free. Could it be something in our water? We have filtered on the fridge but not for the kettle on the main tap? We only used filtered water in the UK . Your advice would be appreciated as my dentist is at aloss to the cause, I see him every six months and the problem is getting worse between visits. With kind regards

Q. Hi, i am a smoker and i have one tooth my front canine which has gum shrinkage has been for a long while, and is now becoming sore and bleeds when i clean my teeth, please could you tell me what it could be.. Many Thanks