Category “Dental Diseases”

West London dentists help patients prevent tooth and gum disease by advising them about oral health

June 20th, 2011

Tooth and gum disease are a set of related ailments that can have serious consequences for the health of your mouth. It is best not to neglect looking after your mouth because in doing so you leave yourself open to the pain and indignity of tooth loss, not to mention the prospect of invasive and uncomfortable surgical procedures.

As most people will know, the most basic thing to bear in mind is that as much of the acidic substance known as plaque needs to be removed from your mouth on a daily basis. This can be achieved by effective brushing with a tooth brush that has firm bristles and the use of fluoride tooth paste that helps to strengthen teeth against further attack.

Flossing is a vital part of looking after your teeth too as it helps to guard against dental decay as well as gum disease. You should pull dental floss between the gaps in your teeth after you have brushed. This is because your brush will be unable to reach all the plaque that is in between teeth.

Allowing plaque to flourish lets it attack the enamel on the surface of your teeth and holes will begin to form. Eventually teeth can become not fit for purpose and removal might be the only option left. Gum disease is actually a greater cause of tooth loss though than the decaying of teeth itself. This is because the advanced stages of gum disease leads to the bones which hold your teeth in place becoming inflamed and unable to hold teeth in.

Keeping your West London up to date with what’s going on in your mouth is a vital part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy and free from disease.

Periodontal Disease in London W1

June 9th, 2011

One of the greatest battles you and your teeth are going to have to face throughout your life is against periodontal disease. It’s thought that 75% of people in London W1 will have trouble with the problem in some form, at some stage of their lives, but the consequences are very damaging to the teeth, gums and the health of the body. It all begins with bad oral hygiene- poor flossing and brushing, which allows a build up of plaque in the mouth. Gum disease follows quickly, poisoning the blood and then tooth decay sets in and inevitably, you will start to lose your teeth. Your gums are a dead give away that you have a problem- they may bleed and recede. But identify the disease and do something about it as quickly as possible, and you have a great chance of destroying it. Your dentist will be able to clean/scale the areas you can’t and treat them, but in the end it’s you that has to step up to the mark and get your daily oral hygiene program up to scratch so that the problem doesn’t return. You’re going to have to re-evaluate the way you brush, what you brush with, how to floss and be sure to look at herbal alternatives too. You must never fall into the mistakes you did before.

Keep your gums healthy and free from periodontal disease with help and advice from London W1 dentists

April 7th, 2011

Until you have suffered from gum disease yourself you might be unaware of just how inconvenient it can be. When your gums become inflamed they get swollen and rather reddened rather than their normal healthy pink. You might find that you are more sensitive towards foods which are extreme temperatures and have unpleasant tastes in your mouth. Gum disease is far more common in the United Kingdom than it ought to be but with the help of your London W1 dentist you can put a stop to it.

It is important to understand how gum disease can happen so that you can stop it from doing so in the first place. Just as plaque causes teeth to decay, it is a substance that is not good for your gums either. The danger comes when plaque is left on the gum line of teeth and begins to inflame the gums. Brushing in the right fashion should be removing all of this plaque from that sensitive area and often that is the only action that dentists will take if they spot incipient gum disease: advise you to brush more effectively.

The point is that the early stage of periodontal disease (gingivitis) is nothing that serious really but if inflammation of the gums is left to thrive then the consequences are far worse. Periodontitis is definitely an ailment that is worth avoiding. The inflammation spreads beyond the gums to affect the bones which secure your teeth. The gums themselves start to recede from the teeth and the teeth themselves are at heightened risk of falling out.

Keep your London W1 dentist informed of what’s going on in your mouth and report any of the early symptoms to gum disease to them immediately.

Removing the Risks of Oral Problems by Flossing in London W1

February 24th, 2011

4732933_blogOne of the greatest things to be placed on the shelves of shops in London W1, dental related of course, is dental floss, because it is the work of a genius.

Regular brushing is a must everyday in order to take on the ongoing fight against plaque, but brushing does not cut the mustard when it comes to getting between the teeth where food can get stuck, go off and then breed bacteria, leading to gum disease and tooth decay.

Flossing, however, is the real ace in the pack in fighting off such problems. There are many to choose from, so you need to find one that works for you and when you have, you need to be patient and learn how to use it. You have to wind a strip between your fingers and then work it between your teeth and up into the gums. It should be moved all around until you are sure you have removed any lingering food- this should be done in front of a mirror so you can see what you are doing at first, then it will become natural to you and you can go all around your mouth at leisure wherever you may be.

Most flosses have bacteria and plaque fighting ingredients built into the floss so it can only be good for your overall oral health. However, it is not a pretty operation, so you would be wise to do it in the privacy of your own company.

The Role of Sucrose Substitutes in Central London

February 23rd, 2011

302075_blogSugar is a wonderful thing and anywhere you go in central London, you can find some food or drink that has sugar added to it.

It is the substance that gives zing to anything we put in our mouths, but, alas, like anything else that we love, it also has a destructive element to it as well.

Too much sugar or sucrose over time can not only cause damage to the teeth, but also cause diabetes and so it should be used sparingly where possible. This could be the reason why sucrose substitutes are on the rise, that and the amazing fact that certain substitutes can actually enhance the health of teeth and body. The food and drink industry has also been quick to understand this and sugar is starting to be replaced by sugar substitutes.

You can see it more in fizzy drinks and confectionary, especially in chewing gum, candy and chocolate and it really doesn’t taste any different either. There are many variations on the theme, with the most common being saccharin, which is commonly used in hot drinks and is great for diets.

Others are herbal based and do not release the acids that sugar does, in fact, they can actually help to re-mineralize the enamel of the teeth and prevent tooth decay, but the greatest relief comes to those who suffer from diabetes. Sucrose substitutes are everywhere and if you do your homework, you can start buying products that will help you care for your teeth and body.

West London dentists treat gum disease and eradicate halitosis

February 21st, 2011

We all know how important it is to look after our teeth but how many of us pay enough attention to our gums? The fact is that gum disease is actually a greater cause of tooth loss than tooth decay itself. Many people in the UK have some form of gum disease and don’t even know about it, but it is worth dealing with so that it can’t progress into something much worse than just a bit of sensitivity in the mouth.

One of the least pleasant aspects of suffering from gum disease is that bad breath – or halitosis – can occur. The emission of unpleasant smells from the mouth can make social situations that bit more awkward and can lead to embarrassment and even withdrawal. Who wants to be covering their mouth at a wedding or business meeting?

Gum disease is usually caused by a build up of plaque on the gum line of teeth, which causes the gum to become infected. This will manifest itself in greater sensitivity when eating and drinking and a change in the colour of your gums from a healthy pink to more of a red colour. Bad breath might be another symptom too.

If you have bad breath it is best to get your mouth examined by a trained professional to see if gum disease is the cause. Gum disease can usually be rectified by tightening up your home oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing as recommended by your dentist. Sometimes special mouth washes can be used or it might simply be that a certain food you eat a lot of is causing halitosis.

Talk to your West London dentist for more advice about halitosis and gum disease.

The Links Between Diabetes and Periodontitis in West London

February 17th, 2011

283489_blogDiabetes, as anyone would know who suffers from it in West London, is a ongoing problem in progress and it takes 24 hour monitoring to keep on top of it.

It causes such imbalances at times and is very dangerous should your sugar levels become depleted. But there is also another side effect to this and that is that your immune system is constantly vulnerable and working on overtime to keep you healthy.

Apart from being vulnerable to colds and flu, your teeth and gums are also in danger from periodontal diseases, such as tooth decay and gum disease, because a reduced immune system can lead to the saliva levels in the mouth dipping.

If this happens, you are losing the most natural deterrent you have to fight off bacteria in the mouth. Not only this, any wound in the mouth, from whatever the cause, will take a lot longer to heal in people with diabetes, so enhancing the chances of periodontitis occurring. There is also a double edged sword to this as well, as anyone who has undergone serious issues with tooth decay and gum problems in the past are also vulnerable to suffering from diabetes in the future.

It is a vicious cycle to find yourself in but it just means that as long as you are aware of the implications of both periodontal diseases and diabetes and you get as much information you can, you will have a better chance to cope with the issues that are thrown at you.

The Right Food for Your Teeth in West London

February 15th, 2011

2429879_blogOne of the best ways you can look after your teeth in west London, aside from the way you brush and floss, is to maintain a balanced, healthy diet in order to give your immune system the zing it requires to fight off anything bad that threatens your mouth and body.

Vegetables, especially when eaten raw, are excellent for this as they help build up vitamin A, a great ally for tooth enamel. Fruit is excellent for vitamin C, and particular fruit such as kiwi and cranberry are great for strong healthy gums.

Then you move into the area of calcium supplements like milk, cheese and yoghurts to give strength to the teeth. And if you can balance this every week with your normal diet of beef, chicken eggs and fish, you will be building up a tremendous vitamin D wall to fight against bacteria.

To cap it off, if you dink plenty of green tea and water, and incorporate herbal products into your oral hygiene program each day, you are giving your teeth and gums the ultimate chance of survival in a world dental plaque and bacteria. Most dentists will be able to supply you with a list of foods and drinks specifically aimed at your at your oral health and to enhance the care for your teeth and gums

Overcoming Mouth Ulcers in West London

February 14th, 2011

3520145_blogMouth ulcers are annoying. They are an irritant and once you have had one, they have a habit of re-offending in West London.

Mouth Ulcers are generally caused by abrasion from biting your cheek when eating or gum damage from a sharp tooth. Why they return is still a bit of a mystery, but there are links to the way we suffer from hormonal changes, stresses, trauma, and the foods we eat. Deficiency in the immune system from having a poor diet and lifestyle are also connected to the problem, but whatever the cause, there is no denying that anything bad that keeps re-occurring in the body adds up to the fact that something, somewhere is going awry.

However, as annoying and uncomfortable as mouth ulcers may be, they are easily got rid of too. If you watch what you eat for a while, rinse with a decent mouthwash and try to change your lifestyle, such as cutting down on excesses like smoking and drinking for a while, then the problem should go away.

If this all works, then you should use this as a template in the way you live your life as a rule. Most problems in the mouth are easily dealt with if they are recognised, analysed and dealt with early on, but mouth ulcers are also a warning for the future on the way you care for yourself. Ignore them and what they imply, and you could be entering into some very dangerous scenarios indeed.

Brushing Your Teeth in London W1

February 11th, 2011

3403082_blogThere are four important things we should learn naturally,  as we grow up in London W1: walking, talking, eating and teeth brushing.

Now as we get older, we can often get these horribly wrong- ‘stop talking, eat your kebab and I’ll order a taxi…did you bring your toothbrush because you aren’t borrowing mine!’ The thing is, making sure that you brush your teeth correctly on a daily basis can ensure that you do the other three with ease throughout your life.

You brush to avoid the perils of plaque that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay and in the long run, tooth loss and heart disease, which can affect the way you talk, eat and walk. If you back up your brushing with other products such as floss, inter-dental brushes and mouth-washes, you can do all of the above lyrically, but you do need to kick it all off by getting the right brush for you.

There are a myriad of variations on the market, angled ones, flexible ones, up and downy and round and round electrical ones- there are even ones that pulse as they work, designed specifically to attack plaque and tartar. Once you have settled on your choice, then as silly as it sounds, you need to learn how to use your brush properly in order to get the best results. Your dentist is your best aid here and once you have mastered the basics, you will have no problem in looking after your teeth and gums.