August 1st, 2011
The great enemy of healthy teeth is a substance called plaque. It is highly acidic and is formed when we eat and drink certain foods. The greatest culprits are those substances that contain high levels of sugar and or starch. Plaque is unavoidable although dietary decisions can reduce the amount of plaque that we are exposed to. If plaque is allowed to build up to a great extent then it will begin to cause teeth to decay.
We only get one set of healthy teeth in our lives; teeth do not have the ability to grow back. So if your teeth start to decay then it is vital that something is done about it. The process of decay will not just stop of its own accord. Once small holes begin to appear in the hard, protective layer of enamel which coats all of your teeth, they will continue to grow larger until the structural integrity of teeth is compromised. By this stage the teeth might be better removed because it is no longer serving any purpose by being in the mouth.
Dentists used to fill cavities by using metal. Those of a certain age will probably be familiar with the unsightly dark patches which used to be commonplace in dental patients mouths. Nowadays, dentists have developed a new way of filling cavities and it is called cosmetic bonding. The use of cosmetic bonding allows dentists to fill cavities with a malleable, tooth coloured substance that looks better and is easier to work with.
Aside from being diligent with your brushing and flossing, you can guard against dental decay by being sure to visit your City of London dentist every six months so that your mouth can be checked for signs of cavities.
April 15th, 2011
Gum disease is definitely one to do your level best to avoid. It can have a lasting impact on the health of your mouth and may require invasive procedures to sort it out if it is not dealt with swiftly. It is no wonder then that dentists tell their patients how to avoid gum disease in the first place rather than having to deal with it. Prevention, as they say, is better than cure.
One ought to appreciate just how gum disease happens in order to comprehend how to avoid it. Just like dental decay, when cavities are formed in your teeth, gum disease happens when plaque is left hanging around in your mouth. Your gums are not keen on plaque and they will become inflamed as a result of prolonged contact with it.
Brushing in the proper fashion is very important then. Do it twice a day, usually first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Don’t rush it; take your time to ensure that you are removing all the plaque from the gum line of your teeth. Make sure that you pick up the habit of flossing too. All too often people wonder why they are still suffering from gum disease even when they are a dedicated brusher of teeth. This may well be because they are neglecting to floss and plaque is sticking around between teeth.
Ask your Central London dentist about how they would advise you to beat gum disease before it can start. The consequences of being blasé about gum disease can be as bad losing some of your teeth.
April 14th, 2011
Having a sweet tooth means that it’s very hard to resist when a sugary snack is offered to you. Your cravings will often get the better of you and that is fine as long as they are consumed in moderation. The real problem comes when your predilection for sweet foods means that your teeth and gums are put at risk from decay and disease because of it. What should you do then if you like sweet snacks but are concerned about your oral health?
Have a think about the types of sweet food that you are eating. Some are worse than others when it comes to putting your teeth and gums at risk. It all depends on how long the substances are hanging around on your teeth because the longer they are there for then the more plaque can start attacking your teeth and gums and cause teeth to decay and gums to inflame. Boiled sweets for example are very sticky indeed and can stay for a long time in the crevices of your teeth, particularly your molars at the back of your mouth.
Things like fruit, produce a lot of plaque but they don’t stick to your teeth as much. Think about how you can eat your sweet rewards in a situation when you will be able to brush your teeth and floss afterwards. At the very least you can chew after you have eaten a sweet snack, sugar free chewing gum of course. This will dislodge some of the food particles and plaque and stimulate saliva which naturally helps fight plaque and strengthens the enamel on your teeth. Ask your West London dentist for more help with these matters the very next time you are at the surgery.
April 10th, 2011
Life is all about routines: getting up, washing, going to work and all the rest of it. Something that must form part of your routine is looking after your teeth properly in the fashion advised by dental experts. By doing so you are lessening the chances of suffering from nasty oral conditions which can leave you needing treatment or actually losing some of your precious teeth.
Brushing of course will be the first thing that you will do. This should take place at least twice a day and you should brush for about three minutes. Use a brush that is comfortable to hold and has a set of bristles which are as firm as they ought to be. Put some fluoride containing tooth paste on the bristles and, with a little water, brush all of the areas of your mouth, including the gum line of your teeth.
Once you have brushed then you must floss too. This is a very important but often neglected part of daily dental care. Your brush will not be able to remove all of the plaque from between your teeth; only by pulling floss through your teeth can you ensure that plaque is not lurking there and beginning to cause dental decay and gum disease.
It is these two ailments in the main which you are seeking to avoid with your daily dental care. Dental decay and gum disease are both caused by plaque building up and not being properly removed from your mouth. Remember though that you are not alone in your dental care; your West London dentist is also on hand to provide help and advice.
March 21st, 2011
Losing a tooth or teeth can be a traumatic experience whether it was the result of an accident, gum disease or dental decay. But it is imperative that you get them replaced so that your mouth can function again as it is meant to, allowing you to eat, drink and talk in comfort. There are a number of options which your dentist will be able to discuss with you such as dentures or dental implants but dental bridges are popular because they are more permanent than dentures and less invasive than dental implants.
In dental bridge work, replacement teeth are basically anchored to healthy teeth which are still in the mouth and there are three main types of dental bridge. Traditional or fixed bridges are the most common form. A replacement tooth is able to be anchored on both sides because the gap is surrounded by two healthy teeth. This is the ideal situation for dental bridge work because it provides the most stability.
Cantilever bridge work is carried out where the replacement tooth can only be secured on one side. This technique will be used if the tooth on the other side is not healthy enough to be a part of the bridge work. The third type of dental bridge is called a Maryland-bonded or resin-bonded bridge. This consists of bridge work where it is imperative that the resin used to anchor the replacement is concealed. This might be appropriate when a tooth at the front of the mouth needs to be replaced and the patient is concerned about not compromising on aesthetic appeal.
Talk to your City of London dentist if you have lost a tooth or teeth and need more information about dental bridge work.
January 31st, 2011
Dental pain is most commonly associated with odontalgia (toothache) and is an aching pain in or around the area of the teeth and gums. In the majority of cases dental pains are caused by problems in the teeth or the jaw usually caused by, wisdom teeth, cracked teeth, cavities, gum diseases, or exposure of the inner part of the tooth or jaw. Toothaches can also be caused by a problem with the pulp, known as pulpitis, which sometimes is reversible however in some cases it isn’t. The irreversible pulpitis can be identified by the amount of time the pain lasts for, if it is constant it’s usually a bad sign. In most cases teeth which have become affected by irreversible pulpitis need to have a root canal or an extraction. There are however more obvious reasons for dental pains such as a fillings and veneers falling out, and dental decay. Sweet foods and drinks can also set off toothache and dental pains as they have a great deal of sugar which damages to the teeth. Most of the damages done to the teeth are because of bacteria in the mouth being allowed to get to extreme levels due to lack of care, which will eventually lead to toothache through as series of stages of decay. Avoid dental pain and visit a west London dental practice where all the treatment and prevention of toothache can be found.
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.
December 7th, 2010
Your teeth might decay for a number of reasons and it is important that it is dealt with should it occur as it might lead to you losing the affected teeth. Having poor heath generally can cause your teeth to decay as your body’s natural defences are unable to protect your teeth. Pursuing a poor diet can weaken teeth by subjecting them to too much sugary and starchy food which allows plaque to weaken enamel and attack teeth. After years of wear and tear, teeth in older people are more likely to decay.
Dental decay is occurring when small holes or caries appear in the teeth. These need to be filled as soon as possible than the nerves residing in your teeth are not affected; a painful experience indeed. Cosmetic bonding techniques can now be used to quickly fill caries with natural looking dental composite which ensure a discreet look.
If your teeth become painful when you are eating or drinking substances which are colder or hotter than most things, then you might be experiencing dental decay. Odd tastes in your mouth can be another indicator, as can bad breath.
Being sure to have check ups with your dentist every six months is a good start in ensuring that your teeth are not decaying as your mouth will be thoroughly examined by a professional. Your home dental health routine also plays a crucial part in the fight against dental decay. If you are brushing and flossing twice a day then your chances of suffering from dental decay are dramatically reduced.
Contact your London W1 dentist today for more information about dental decay and how to stop it.
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 20th, 2010
A periodontal examination is a way of assessing the health of the teeth and gums and examining for the signs of dental conditions such as decay and gingivitis. Central London dentists examines the teeth and gums for the signs of bruxism, receding gums and even the symptoms of oral cancer.
Here is a breakdown of what your dentist will do during a standard periodontal examination:
Firstly, they will check for lumps or any other unusual areas in the mouth. These could indicate oral cancer or could be the sign of a dental infection. If they are unsure about any suspicious areas you may be referred to a specialist. The dentists will also examine the teeth to see if any are loose or if there are any other significant problems with their structure.
The dentist will also examine the size, shape and texture of the gums. Any unusual discolouration, swelling or different shaping could be an indication of gum disease which will need immediate treatment. The dentist will also examine the teeth and gums for plaque and tartar, the two substances responsible for gum disease and tooth decay.
As well as these problems the dentist will also be looking for the signs of receding gums, measuring the occlusion (the way the teeth sit together when they are closed and when they are chewing). Any problems they discover will then be treated immediately if possible or an appointment for further treatment arranged. Treating dental problems early in this way will mean that you have the best chance of avoiding complicated and costly dental treatment in the future.
