February 22nd, 2010
Everybody knows that sweet and sticky foods are bad for your teeth. This is because the sugar sticks to the teeth attracting bacteria that form plaque. When this bacteria decays it releases acids, which are the main cause of dental cavities. Because sweet food is often sticky due to the sugar it clings to the teeth and is difficult to remove. Sticky foods also get stuck in the gaps between teeth and decay releasing foul odours that cause halitosis. The main problem is that sweet foods are very difficult to resist, especially if you have a sweet tooth but there are alternatives.
Firstly, eating anything with a low sugar content is going to be better for your teeth than high sugar content food. There are many low sugar snacks available on the market that will be less damaging to your teeth. However, the reality is that most food will cause damage to your teeth eventually so the key to keeping your teeth healthy is damage limitation. By trying to eat foods with low sugar and replacing sugary sweets with natural sources of sugar you will be doing a lot to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Foods like raisins and grapes make excellent sweet snacks and are less damaging to your teeth. It is also possible to buy sugar-free chewing gum that is still sweet and will satisfy your cravings. West London dentists will also be able to advise you what foods are less damaging for your teeth but still allow you to enjoy the odd treat. It is important however to remember that whatever you eat, cleaning teeth thoroughly by brushing and flossing daily will help to prevent damage form dental cavities.
February 21st, 2010
Anyone who has experienced the pain and suffering caused by tooth and gum disease will tell you to do all you can to avoid becoming another victim. Both tooth decay and gum disease are again on the increase in the UK as a result of falling standards of oral hygiene and poor diets. Too much sugary food and drinks are making the problem of dental disease a very serious one.
Tooth decay is caused by a bacteria rich substance called plaque, which sticks to the surface of the tooth and releases acids as the bacteria break down. This acid wears away the protective enamel coating of teeth causing cavities. If the enamel is breached, bacteria can infiltrate the central parts of the tooth and cause infections around the dental nerve. Not only will this be very painful but it can also lead to tooth loss.
Gum disease is also caused by plaque acid, which causes irritation and inflammation to the gum tissue. If this allowed to progress it can cause bleeding and infections which can pass into the bloodstream and has been linked to heart disease.
Prevention is definitely the key to healthy teeth and gums and the best way to do this is to ensure you are brushing and flossing your teeth every day. Just as important however is the need to see a West London dentist every six-months for a check up appointment. Dentists can spot the signs and symptoms of dental disease and treat it before it becomes a more serious problem.
February 19th, 2010
It seems that every year there is another breakthrough in the world of dentistry that provides patients with safer and easier treatments. The latest in this line of developments is a new dentistry tool called Waterlase. This pioneering new technology can be used for a variety of treatments on both the teeth and the gums making treatments much more comfortable than has previously been possible.
Lasers have been used for a number of years now in dental treatment because of the advantages they have over other equipment. Because lasers use heat the chances of infection are greatly reduced. They also have a cauterising effect, which means that wounds are sealed immediately after incision so that there is reduced blood loss and recovery times are vastly improved.
Waterlase was first used in the US at the very end of the 90s and has been successfully used across the country by thousands of dentists. The technology is now being more and more widely used in the UK and represents a genuine technological shift in the future of dentistry. Waterlase is even being used as an alternative to the much-feared dentist’s drill in many procedures. Waterlase removes the need for pressure and vibration to achieve the same results as the drill and uses a fine mist of water to limit the affects of heat in the mouth.
Waterlase is an incredibly accurate tool that is being used right now by Central London dentists to treat patients with a variety of complaints. Ask your dentist about the possibilities at your next appointment.
February 18th, 2010
Discoloured or badly stained teeth can be very embarrassing and cause the patient to be very anxious and self-conscious about their appearance. It can make people very reluctant to open their mouths or smile in public and be the underlying cause of self-esteem issues and even depression. But with modern cosmetic dentistry there is a solution to having discoloured teeth.
Teeth whitening has existed for many years but in the past has been hit and miss at best and often prohibitively expensive. But as more and more dentists offer the treatment and more patients use it the price is dropping and the treatment becoming more available. New whitening treatments are hitting the market each year, each promising new and improved whitening that takes less time and yields better results.
West London dentists offer a variety of whitening treatments to suit all budgets and time considerations. These range form short one-hour treatments in surgery to two or even three week concentrated procedures involving take home trays to be worn at night. The active ingredient in teeth whitening is hydrogen peroxide and it works by gradually penetrating the enamel and staining any discoloured areas. Any patches of enamel that have been stained or discoloured are then turned the same colour as the rest of the tooth.
Teeth whitening can be one of the most successful and dramatic cosmetic dentistry treatments, capable of completely transforming the teeth and restoring the self-confidence of the patient. If you suffer from discolouration or staining, ask your dentist about teeth whitening and really give yourself something to smile about.
February 17th, 2010
Tooth abscesses are extremely painful and unpleasant things that can be entirely prevented with more effective teeth cleaning. Proper brushing and flossing can usually prevent dental infections that cause abscesses but if it is already too late then it is imperative that you see a dentist as soon as possible, as a burst abscess can cause further health problems.
Abscesses occur when tooth enamel has been eroded by plaque acid. When the dental cavity penetrates to the centre of the tooth, bacteria can get inside and cause an infection that surrounds the dental nerve causing a toothache. The body’s natural response to this is to create more white blood cells to bombard the infection and kill it. These white blood cells mix with the infected matter to form a substance called pus. This builds up in tissue around the tooth either beating the infection or making it larger and larger until it can no longer withstand the pressure and bursts. This can then spread the infection around the mouth and even into the bloodstream causing heart problems and other complications.
Abscesses can be treated by dentists who can also offer relief from the pain that they can cause, which can often be extreme. Obviously the best cure for an abscess is prevention but dentists can also carry out minor surgery or prescribe antibiotics to defeat the infection.
If tooth abscesses are not treated by a London W1 dentist and left to get worse they can also be responsible for the actual death of the tooth as the infection will eventually kill the dental nerve. This may result in tooth loss and many further associated problems.
February 16th, 2010
The six month smile isn’t what it appears to be at first glance, it isn’t a smile that lasts for six months. It is a method giving conscious people a smile they have always wanted, and in only six months. It isn’t recommended for most people under 16 years old, but it has become extremely popular with adults of all ages. Most of us suffer in silence at having badly aligned teeth or gaps, we constantly avoid eye contact with people, and in extreme cases we even cover our mouths when chatting. That is now all in the past with the methods that have been developed to re-align our misshapen teeth in just six months, and less in some cases. The treatment uses an almost invisible brace that works on educating the teeth; it does this by guiding the crooked and gapped teeth into alignment. The success rate is quite spectacular say a City of London dentist and it is becoming increasingly more favourable with career adults. The method that is most popular is the Invisalign system which uses a brace that the patient has complete control over, the device is renewed every two weeks and allows the patient to remove it daily for cleaning teeth, eating and drinking. This is a God send for many career people in sales who need to be able to socialise and network without the appearance of a visible conventional metal brace. The device works the same as a common brace in that it pulls and pushes the teeth into the desired alignment. It does need the patient to be much disciplined though and the more it is worn each day, the quicker and better the results.
February 15th, 2010
Invisalign is the method of straightening misaligned teeth in both children and adults. It is a cross between a gum shield and a brace, but is best described in layman’s terms as a removable brace. Being transparent in appearance the brace is simply fitted over the top or bottom teeth, and left to do its job while the patient goes about their daily routine. The brace is changed usually every fortnight and works exactly the same way as a conventional brace, albeit that it is removable and replaceable by the patient. The problem with conventional braces is that they are cumbersome and awkward; the patient finds it difficult at times to carry out simple oral hygiene care. The pressure of common braces is also a damaging factor on the teeth as it often causes more wear on them. The Invisalign method allows the patient to remove the device for eating, drinking and cleaning of the teeth, it also allows X-rays to be taken which aren’t possible with conventional braces. However, one disadvantage is that the dentist has to rely heavily on the discipline of the patient to keep the device in place for the maximum period each day. The treatment isn’t available or recommended to all patients, some teeth that are particularly misaligned will not benefit from using an Invisalign brace. It is made from a polyurethane material and this can cause an allergic reaction in certain patients, although that is very rare. A London W1 dentist says that most western countries are in favour of the use of these braces, especially in children who traditionally have been subject to bullying in schools. Adults favour them as well as it allows them to remove the braces when they are socialising or networking.
February 14th, 2010
An Inman aligner is a brace for all intent and purposes say a City of London dentist, it works in a slightly different way to other braces in that it used springs to bring badly aligned teeth back into formation. It is quite easy to have fitted, and is almost invisible except for the main bar that controls the devices pressure on the teeth. It is very similar to the Invisalign system in that the Inman appliance is also a removable device. It works by moving the misaligned teeth over a set time period. It operates by creating a force using a coiled spring on the inside of the set of teeth. It is attached to a bar that sits across the front of the teeth; this literally squeezes the teeth slowly into position by pulling, pushing and easing them into the required position of alignment. The treatment period is usually a lot shorter than that of the most common used of the invisible brace applications. Treatment periods can be eight to sixteen weeks or slightly longer in some extreme cases. The treatment period will be often determined by the length of time each day that the patient decides to wear the device. The Inman aligner brace can be taken off whenever the patient decides to remove it. It goes without saying though that the longer the patient wears it each day, the sooner they’ll see the end result. It is normally recommended for the patient to wear the aligner for up to 20 hours a day, that’s every day of course to get the quickest and best results. It isn’t suitable for every patient and a consultation with a dentist will also need some tests to be done, however the good news is that the system has a high success rate and more dentists are plumping for this method every year.
February 13th, 2010
Root canal treatment is a complicated procedure, and therefore it is usually only done in extreme cases. The treatment is given to patients who are constantly prone to infection in a particular tooth, rather than lose the tooth the treatment saves what is an otherwise healthy tooth. The procedure is about as painful as any other treatment, in other words you won’t usually feel a thing during the process. First of all the dentist will drill into the cavity of the tooth called the Pulp Chamber, and remove any infection that remains. Then further drilling will remove the nerve ends and any blood vessels that serve the tooth. What is left is a hole in the centre of the tooth, this is then filled with an antibacterial based substance, the most common used is Gutta-Percha which is a natural latex made from the sap of a tropical tree. Once the cavity is filled it is allowed to harden, then a crown is used to top it off and make the tooth harder to prevent the filling wearing away. The main reason that a dentist will recommend a root canal treatment is to prevent any more infections that keep occurring to a tooth, this can be caused by a crack in the tooth that allows bacteria to find its way deep into a tooth and constantly infect the root. The problem is often exasperated by the fact that even the best of antibiotics fail to kill all the bacteria that has embedded itself in the pulp chamber. With a root canal treatment it leaves no room for an infection to get a grip, and a tooth is given another chance to serve the patient for many more years.
February 12th, 2010
Dental pain can be caused by a number of problems; an accidental knock to the teeth can dislodge a tooth, fracture it or even in extreme cases knock it out. However, a West London dentist says that in most cases dental pain is due to an infection. This can be anything from a small bacterial infection to an ulcer or even an abscess. All these cases are usually cleared up quickly with antibiotics, and after the infection is gone the dentist can get to the root cause to try to prevent it happening again. A cracked tooth can be very painful indeed as it often opens up a way to the nerve ends, a temporary repair using sugar free gum or dental cement is the first stage to pain relief. Repair kits are available at most chemists, but you really need to get a dentist as soon as possible before the damage is further increased. A tooth ache is the most excruciating pain most of us will experience; it is a long standing throbbing pain that is controllable using Paracetamol or another pain killer if the patient is allergic. An abscess is the most common cause of dental pain and is often caused by a weak tooth, the gum becomes prone to infection and no matter how hard you try; the infection can keep coming back. After a few times your dentist may recommend that the tooth be taken out, this usually stops the infection and subsequently the pain. In extreme cases the dentist may give the patient a gum injection to relieve the pain, but this is very rare, it should be noted that a dentist and not a doctor should the first port of call in cases of dental pain.
