September 1st, 2010
Bleeding gums can be quite a nasty surprise and the cause of great concern. However, the causes of the bleeding are varied in both severity and frequency. If you notice that your gums are bleeding then it is always advised that you pay a visit to a City of London dentist who will be able to discover the cause of the bleeding.
One of the main causes of bleeding gums is, naturally, gum disease. This is caused a by a lack of dental hygiene, by insufficient brushing or flossing. This allows plaque and bacteria to build up around the gums and eventually causes irritation that leads to infection. Gum disease is easily treatable if caught in the early stages but if left can become very serious and even has links to heart disease. Small bleeding is often a sign of the onset of gum disease so you may need to receive some treatment.
More seriously, bleeding gums can also be the sign of oral cancer. This is obviously a very serious matter and the reason that you should always see a dentist if your gums are bleeding to be on the safe side.
However, it is also true that many cases of bleeding gums are just caused by an increase in the standard of oral hygiene. Someone who starts flossing after a long time of not doing it may experience some bleeding but this will usually stop after the first few days. It is simply a sign that the gums have been over stimulated and were probably in need of a good clean. However, as with all illness and conditions, it is always better to be safe than sorry, so make an appointment if you are concerned about your gums.
July 10th, 2010
The health of our teeth as a nation is getting worse. In an age when dental technology has improved so dramatically over the recent decades, there is really no excuse for this other than that we are simply ignoring the health of our teeth. Perhaps this is due to a complacency and reliance on modern dental technology to keep our teeth healthy. It is true that modern dentistry is capable of amazing things and even the most damaged teeth can be repaired but then we must remember that this repair comes not only at great cost but also after a great deal of pain.
The simple fact remains when it comes to our teeth, that we are responsible for looking after them and doing so is relatively easy providing we follow a few simple rules. The twin evils of tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented by maintaining a high standard of brushing and flossing.
This is because effective brushing removes plaque and bacteria, the two main causes of gum disease and tooth decay. By not removing these substances acids are released that attack the surface of the teeth and start to break down the enamel. They also cause irritation to the gum tissue that if not treated will eventually cause an infection that can be very painful and also lead indirectly to heart disease.
The other main way to prevent gum disease and tooth decay is to keep up your regular check up appointments with your West London dentist. They will be able to identify the initial appearance of any dental concern and offer advice and treatment to keep your teeth as healthy as they can be. When it comes to your teeth, prevention really is better than cure.
May 8th, 2010
To keep your teeth looking and feeling their best, it is important to have an effective and thorough daily oral hygiene routine. Brushing, flossing and using other oral hygiene products will help to remove damaging bacteria and plaque from the surfaces of the teeth and in the gaps between them. This will prevent enamel erosion that causes decay, infection and ultimately tooth loss.
Good oral hygiene begins at home but also requires the input of your London W1 dentist every six-months at a check up appointment. Your dentist will be able to assess how well you are looking after your teeth and highlight any areas that need further attention. They can also carry out routine checks for oral cancer and other nasty oral diseases. Dentists, together with dental hygienists will also be able to conduct a thorough clean of your teeth and devise an oral hygiene plan for you to stick to at home. This form of preventative dentistry has been proven to be effective in limiting tooth and gum disease.
The most important defence against dental problems is brushing. This cleans the teeth and gums, removing the bad bacteria and plaque that cause decay and infection. Brushing twice a day with an appropriate brush will keep the levels of plaque to a manageable level and prevent bacteria acid eroding the enamel. Flossing performs a similar function in the small areas between the teeth and around their base. A daily combination of brushing and flossing will help to keep your teeth looking clean and stop the build up of tartar, which cannot be removed at home by brushing.
Your dentist may also recommend using a tongue scraper or mouthwash, depending on your individual circumstances. These oral hygiene tools can also help to regulate the amount of bacteria in the mouth helping to protect your teeth.
April 5th, 2010
Bad breath is an embarrassment that we could all do without. One of the worst things about bad breath is that it is often hard to know if you are suffering. This can lead to that horrible moment when someone else has to tell you that your breath smells. The anxiety to avoid this cringe worthy moment at all costs, can lead many people to take measures to prevent it. But often this can lead people to make the wrong choices.
Many people use mouthwashes or breathe sprays and mints to try and combat the problem, without realising that this will do little more than mask the problem for a very short time and can even make the problem worse. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration conducted tests into the effectiveness of mouthwash and the results were very interesting. It was discovered that mouthwash did not stop the causes of bad breath but only masked the smell from anything between ten minutes and two hours before the smell came back. As a result mouthwash is no longer able to claim that it prevents bad breath in the United States. Similar results were discovered for breath mints and sprays.
In some further studies it has been found that mouthwash can actually make the problem worse as it disrupts the regulation of bacteria in the mouth. Millions if bacteria live in the human mouth in a delicate balance controlled by saliva. Mouthwash kills too many bacteria and changes the production of saliva meaning the bacteria can come back stronger and smellier.
The only way to really prevent bad breath is to make sure you are cleaning your teeth with effective brushing and flossing everyday. Make an appointment with a Central London dentist to find out more about stopping bad breath.
March 10th, 2010
Dentists cannot stress the importance of daily dental hygiene and its positive effects on dental health. Effective brushing and cleaning can help to keep tooth decay and gum disease from destroying your teeth and gums. This happens because effective brushing and flossing removes the plaque which builds up on the teeth and breaks down enamel and gum tissue.
Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice a day for three minutes. This should be done with a soft bristled brush for maximum enamel removal and preferably using a brush with a small head for easier access to the difficult to reach areas. The brush should be angled at forty-five degrees to the teeth so that the gums are also brushed but be careful not to press too hard as gum tissue can erode and will not grow back.
It is also important to floss daily to remove bacteria and plaque from the hard to reach areas between teeth and around the base. Much decay begins in these areas and food particles trapped there are often the cause of bad breath. Other cleaning tools are also encouraged such as inter-dental brushes and tongue cleaners. These can help to remove more bacteria keeping the mouth clean.
West London dentists are available to give further cleaning advice and can draw up a cleaning plan on conjunction with a dental hygienist to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. Just by taking a few extra minutes each day to thoroughly clean your teeth you could save yourself the pain and anxiety of dental problems later in life.
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 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 9th, 2010
The feeling of newly cleaned teeth when you’ve just been to the dentist is hard to beat when just cleaning them yourself. Even the most thorough clean involving brushing and flossing can’t match the cleaning you can have performed by a dentist or dental hygienist. This is because the dentist or hygienist uses techniques known as scaling and polishing to completely clean the teeth. Scaling in particular is probably not the most pleasant experience in the world but it is necessary to achieve the levels of cleanliness important for healthy teeth.
When scaling the teeth, the dentist will use a small implement with a hook at the end. This is used to carefully remove tartar from the teeth without damaging any of the enamel. It is necessary to scale teeth to remove tartar because it cannot be removed with normal brushing. Unlike plaque, which can be cleaned with a normal toothbrush, tartar is hard and sticks to the teeth very firmly. If tartar is not removed it can cause decay and gum disease which lead to nasty infections and ultimately tooth loss. This can be very painful, very expensive and also very embarrassing.
When the teeth have been fully scaled and all the tartar removed, the dentist will then polish them using a mechanical polisher. This removes any further residual plaque and leaves the tooth enamel smooth and free of debris. This makes it hard for the plaque to stick to, protecting the teeth from any future decay. To be fully effective these processes need to be repeated on a regular basis. By visiting a West London dentist or dental hygienist every six months for scaling and polishing you can give your teeth the best chance of staying clean, healthy and free of decay.
January 3rd, 2010
At the first sign of gum disease it is important to get to a dentist and get it checked out, an inspection and in some cases x-rays of the tooth bases, will be necessary. A dental surgery clean up and the removal of any harmful tartar build up is a normal part of the treatment. Once the results of any tests are back, the treatment will usually ensure that the progress of the infection can be halted and kept in check. A change to the diet and giving up smoking will also go some way to keeping future attacks at bay, not withstanding that smoking and excessive intakes of sugar based alcohol products, are harmful to the rest of the body as well. The Central London dental surgery spokesman went on to say that once periodontal disease is diagnosed it is incurable, the good news however, is that it is possible to slow down and elongate the life of the teeth and gums. Regular treatment is a must, as well as the change in regime to our oral hygiene, and it is only through these precautions that we can expect to fight the progress of any gum disease. Root planning is a method of neutralising deeply impregnated bacteria at the root of the tooth. To treat this your dentist will set out a plan to treat each tooth separately, and it can cause discomfort for a few days after the treatment has been completed. Remember that the treatment doesn’t stop when you leave the dental surgery; it is you who needs to make sure that you have a regular routine of brushing, flossing and mouth-washing to keep the disease at a slow rate. Drinking water throughout the day will also help to neutralise acid build up.
December 6th, 2009
Dental hygiene, also known as oral hygiene, refers to the process of keeping your mouth and teeth clean and healthy by following a routine of brushing, flossing and regular check ups with a City of London dentist. As you are probably aware from television adverts, keeping teeth free from bacteria-rich plaque can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease and can help to keep your breath fresh but most people don’t really understand why.
Plaque is a film-like substance which clings to tooth enamel and gums releasing bacterial acids that erode protective tissue. This can eventually break down the protective barrier and lead to infections which cause toothache and dental problems. Plaque is easily removed by brushing and flossing, but if not removed can harden to become tartar which will need to be removed by a dentist. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day for three minutes and flossing at least once a day.
Even with the strictest dental hygiene routines it is still always necessary to see a dentist regularly to monitor for the first signs of any dental problems. It is also becoming more and more common to visit a dental hygienist as part of your regular check up. Hygienists are specially trained technicians who can remove any built up tartar and give the teeth a thorough deep clean alongside treatment from your regular dentist. Hygienists can also give the best advice on effective cleaning methods to help give your teeth the best protection possible.
