Questions patients actually ask

The reputation comes from a time before modern local anaesthetic. The procedure is done with the tooth numb. Most of the pain people associate with a root canal is the infection that made it necessary, which is what the treatment removes. Tell us if you can still feel anything sharp and we stop and add more anaesthetic.

No. Bleeding gums are the most commonly ignored dental symptom, and they usually mean inflammation from plaque at the gumline. Caught early it is often reversible with a cleaning and a change in brushing technique. Left for years it becomes gum disease, which can loosen teeth that are otherwise healthy. Get it looked at.

You are told before treatment starts. We do not begin work and present a number afterwards. Any figure quoted before an examination would be a guess, which is why we examine first and quote second.

Walk-ins are welcome, but booking ahead means far less waiting. If you are in pain, call and say so, and we will fit you in as soon as we can.

Earlier than most people expect - around the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing. The first visits are mostly about the child learning that the place is not frightening, which pays off for the rest of their life.

Pick it up by the crown, never the root. Do not scrub it. If you can, put it back in the socket and bite gently on a cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk - not water. Then get to a dentist immediately. This is genuinely time-critical and the first hour matters most.

For most adults, once every six months for a check and a cleaning. If you have gum disease, smoke, or have diabetes, more often - we will tell you what applies to you rather than giving you the generic answer.

Yes, but tell us before treatment, not during it. Both change how we plan the appointment, particularly for extractions and gum treatment. Bring the names and doses of what you take.

Professionally supervised whitening does not damage enamel at the concentrations and exposure times we use. Sensitivity during and shortly after is common and settles. The risk with whitening is mostly in unsupervised kits bought online, where the concentration and the fit of the tray are not controlled.

Regularly. Tell us when you book. It changes the pace of the appointment, how much gets explained as it happens, and how often we stop. It is not an unusual request.