September 7th, 2011
The long term effects of periodontal disease (more commonly described as gum disease) can be very severe indeed. It is a leading cause of tooth loss and dentists in the United Kingdom are anxious to tell their patients that they can avoid such inconvenience and trauma by taking simple steps to look after their gums.
It is plaque that can damage the gums. These acidic bacteria cause gums to become inflamed if there is prolonged exposure so the main aim of good care for your gums is to minimise this exposure as best you can.
Brushing your teeth twice a day takes care of most of the plaque which can affect gums. But you will need to floss as well because the bristles on tooth brushes cannot reach between teeth as well as cleaning the surfaces.
Gingivitis is the most basic and common form of gum disease and can usually be eliminated with improvements to brushing and flossing or sometimes the use of special mouth wash or antibiotics. Once the inflammation spreads to the bones holding teeth in place then teeth can actually be lost as the gums recede.
Go and see your dentist in London W1 every six months or as you are advised so that the health of your gums can be monitored. He or she will also be able to administer scaling and polishing; a process that rids teeth or built up and stubborn tartar, as well as smoothing the surfaces of teeth so that plaque cannot so easily stick.
June 17th, 2011
Nobody wants to have to shield their mouths at parties and social occasions, but the awareness that there are foul odours emitting from your mouth might drive you to do so. Bad breath is a nightmare for anyone it affects and most people will do their utmost to combat it. Anyone who watches televisions and reads magazines will see the adverts for mouth washes which proclaim an end to bad breath but dentists are advising patients that they can actually make the problem worse.
The thing about mouth washes is that they kill pretty much all of the bacteria in peoples’ mouths. This is a good thing in the sense that bad breath bacteria are killed, but not all of the bacteria in your mouth are bad; some of them are beneficial. The fact that all of the bacteria are killed by mouth wash actually then leaves the mouth in an ideal condition for more bad breath bacteria to form quickly and then hang around. This is because bad breath bacteria love a dry mouth because it enables them to stick to teeth more easily.
The best way to combat bad breath effectively is to make sure that you are brushing your teeth properly and flossing too so that none of the bacteria can hide between teeth. Diet too can play an important part and we all know that certain foods are worse for bad breath than others. Your tongue is also a favourite spot for bad breath bacteria so it is a good idea to brush there too. Feel free to take any of your bad breath concerns to your Central London dentist because he or she will be able to help.
April 18th, 2011
Bad breath can be attributed to many things in central London, but one of the major factors behind the problem is a dry mouth, primarily caused by the breakdown of saliva in the mouth. This may be down to medication, diet, smoking and drinking. A build up of bacteria, tooth decay and gum disease can also contribute to pungent smells. With that in mind, we turn to oral products to keep our mouths healthy and fresh. So it may come as a bit of a surprise that some products on the market, actually add to the problem of bad breath. Most mouthwashes are alcohol based, and though in the beginning, they can kill germs and mask foul odours, the alcohol stays in the mouth and will go off, unless rinsed out with water. Certain toothpastes too have the reverse, desired affect. Some contain bleaching chemicals and sodas that tend to dry out the mouth, allowing bacteria to grow around the teeth and gums. Although all of these products are good at what they do, you need to have counter measures in place to prevent the mouth from becoming dry, such as rinsing with and drinking lots of water after their use. Sugar free sweets can also stimulate the levels of saliva in the mouth to fight bad breath.
March 10th, 2011
Having a great little oral hygiene programme at home, frees you up to get on with your everyday regime and allows you to smile with confidence, after all, the teeth are the first thing you see when you talk to someone. The market is flooded with wonderful products to help you achieve this. It’s almost as if products are being made to suit just you and your needs. Most dentists in London’s W1 would agree that regular cleaning, flossing and mouth-washing throughout the day, should be enough to maintain a healthy mouth and prevent the build up of plague and tartar that lead to more serious problems such as gum disease and tooth decay. Companies that develop these products are very sympathetic to oral hygiene and they are getting better at targeting problems and nipping them in the bud. But it doesn’t stop there, for there’s a product to treat all problems. Brush technology has come on leaps and bounds, designed for sensitive teeth, or tough teeth, designed to reach areas where they never reached before, and electric brushes do the work for you on areas that you were missing out on before. Toothpastes also follow the same philosophy. But these basic hygiene methods are now backed up with flosses, mouthwashes and tiny brushes all designed to remove food and bacteria from between the teeth and prevent plaque from forming. Of course, the biggest back-up is your dentist, for they know just what will work for your health of your mouth.
February 25th, 2011
Having a cavity form in one of your teeth can be a painful process which requires a filling. Once a cavity has formed your teeth cannot regrow and it is something that will be with you for the rest of your life. Children can be especially at risk from dental cavities and it is essential that their teeth are protected. The use of dental sealants can help.
A dental sealant is a plastic coating applied to the rear teeth of children. It is a simple and effective barrier against bacteria harming the youthful teeth. By using them, the child’s teeth are protected from bacteria and plaque which can cause them to decay.
Often patients have dental sealant placed at about the age of six when the permanent molars erupt and again at the age of twelve when the second molars erupt. They are affordable and will last several years before they need to be supplemented. The process of applying dental sealant is painful and will not cause children discomfort.
It can sometimes be difficult to get children to brush their teeth properly and with them snacking on sweets in the play ground at school, it is worth while giving their teeth the extra protection afforded by dental sealant. After all, it is better to protect teeth at a young age so that life long problems cannot take hold.
If you are concerned about the state of your child’s teeth, make an appointment with your Central London dentist and ask them for more expert advice about dental sealant and what it can do for your child’s teeth.
January 23rd, 2011
Bleeding Gums are a very common problem in dentistry but can sometimes mean more than just a simple problem and can in fact be quite severe. Bleeding gums are sometimes the start of very bad conditions like periodontal disease and gingivitis. There are a number of signs to look out for which may indicate gum disease or gingivitis including, sore gums, swollen gums, changes in the fit of the teeth, deep pocket formations between the teeth and gums, bleeding during and after brushing, and recession of the gums. Bleeding gums can however sometimes be a symptom of canker sores and mouth ulcers which are not caused by gum diseases. Not addressing the problems with bleeding gums can come at a very high price as in some situations it can increase the risk of diabetes, strokes, and heart attacks. If the gums are exposed and swollen they are under the attack from every bacterium that is present in the mouth and its exposure allows for the passage of these bacteria into other parts of the body. This causes a number of conditions such as, digestive disorders, respiratory dysfunction, and pancreatic cancer. There are a number of chief causes for bleeding gums such as, lack of oral hygiene, hormonal changes, cancer, and chemotherapy. The best way to avoid bleeding gums and risk of exposure to bacteria are to stick to strict oral hygiene routine. This means you should be brushing and flossing twice daily, keeping to a balanced diet, keeping hydrated, drinking plenty of water, avoid smoking and tobacco products, and to taking care when drinking very cold or very hot drinks. Visit a city of London W1 dentist to avoid problems with bleeding gums.
January 6th, 2011
Dental decay or caries is a disease in which bacteria in the mouth target and damage the hardened tooth structures, cemetium, dentin, and enamel and overtime as the decay worsens it starts to produce holes and severe problems in the teeth. The process of decay can however be stopped and with a few trips to the dentist it can be treated. However if the bacteria is left to decay the teeth it will inevitably lead to, pain, infection, tooth loss, and in very severe cases death. Avoid running the risks of having dental cavities, a London W1 dental practice offer all the advice on dental decay treatment you should require. Those who are suffering from dental decay may not realise that they have any problems with their teeth as sometimes there are few signs, the signs of a cavity can be spotted and identified by small chalky white spots on the surface of the tooth which is due to the demineralisation of enamel. As time progresses the spot may turn brown but will eventually turn into a cavity (hole), up until the cavitation the process is reversible however once it has taken formation it will not grow or regenerate back to its previous state. Once the dentin and enamel become destroyed the cavity will become very noticeable, both in terms of appearance and pain as all the nerves in the tooth are exposed. The creation of dental cavities require four main factors in order for carious formations to occur, first a tooth`s surface is required, fermentable carbohydrates such as sucrose and sugars which are found in most foods, cavity causing bacteria, and time.
October 21st, 2010
When we eat food, tiny particles of it become either lodged between the teeth or stuck to their surface. This is especially true of food that has high starch or sugar content. It clings to the surface of the teeth and acts as a breeding ground for bacteria. This develops into a film of bacteria that coast the teeth and gradually starts to release bacterial acid. This film is known medically as plaque and is the main reason behind tooth decay and gum disease and if left unchecked can become a very serious problem.
Plaque works slowly over time and because we can’t really see it, it is sometimes easy to ignore but it is there and it is causing damage to your teeth. The good news about plaque is that it is easily removed with effective teeth cleaning by brushing and flossing as recommended by a City of London dentist. However, if cleaning is not carried out and dental hygiene standards slip, the plaque will soon be back and causing problems.
The bacterial acid that is released will start to erode the tooth enamel, which is the hard outer, protective layer of the teeth. Once this has been eroded it will not grow back and will leave the inner parts of the teeth exposed to further damage from bacterial infection. This is commonly known as dental decay and unless repaired will eventually result in the death of the tooth and its eventual loss.
The best form of defence against plaque, or any dental condition for that matter, is prevention. By seeing your City of London dentist every six months and following their advice about dental hygiene carefully, you will stand the best chance of staying in control of dental plaque and looking after the health of your teeth.
October 11th, 2010
When teeth become infected because decay and enamel erosion has allowed bacteria to penetrate to the central, sensitive part of the tooth it can be very painful and also extremely bad for the health of your teeth and wider body. Dental infections will cause the nerve to come under attack from infection and will ultimately result in its death and the death of the tooth, and once this has happened, the tooth will fall out and leave an unseemly gap in the dental arc.
This eventuality can be prevented at different times along the way, but the longer it goes without treatment, the more serious the treatment will need to be. Firstly, most dental problems can be prevented in the first instance with dental hygiene such as brushing and flossing. This will remove the bacteria and make the sure teeth are protected. However, if plaque and bacteria is allowed to penetrate the enamel causing a cavity, it might be necessary for the dentist to fill it with composite resin. This process, commonly called a filling, will protect the teeth against further damage. If the area to be filled is too large, it may require a porcelain inlay or even a dental crown to offer the necessary degree of protection.
If the infection has already taken hold then you may require a root canal treatment. This involves drilling down into the tooth and removing the infected material. This is a complex procedure, forming the branch of dentistry known as endodontics. It will prevent a lot of pain and will hopefully save the tooth in the long run. West London dentists specialise in endodontics. If you think you are suffering from an infection, the sooner you receive treatment the easier it will be for you
October 8th, 2010
Looking after the health of your children’s teeth should start as soon as they are born, even before the teeth have come through. Children’s gums are still susceptible to bacteria and plaque so you should be wiping them with a wet gauze or soft towel after feeding to keep them clean. You should also be taking them for a dental check up every six months from a very early age.
Once the teeth start to develop you will need to start cleaning the teeth gently again with either a gauze or a soft bristled brush. You can receive advice about looking after their teeth and which brushes to use from your Central London dentist. Once they start to reach a certain age you should start to educate them about brushing their own teeth and the importance of doing this. Try not to force them to do this as this might cause a resentment towards brushing. Turn it into a game or reward them for doing it well. This will help to develop good dental health practices and hopefully ensure a lifetime of good dental health.
There are dentists who specialise in treating children’s teeth. Because children’s teeth are smaller and more fragile, some dentists receive extra training in how to look after them. Paediatric dentistry is a very skilled profession and is also very important for the health of children’s teeth.
Taking your child to a dentist for a check up every six months will also help to get your child used to visiting the dentist. It can be a slightly frightening experience for a child to visit a dentist if they are not used to it, so the more frequently they visit the more natural it will become.
