Posts tagged “halitosis”

West London dentist helps patient replace sugary sweets in diet

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.

Making bad breath a thing of the past by a London W1 dentist

January 5th, 2010

Bad breath is caused by many factors; it is known medically as Halitosis and in its worst form is nasty, but avoidable. All dentists have a hygiene nurse on hand and getting advice is easy, quick and extremely necessary in people with certain medical conditions. Liver disease, Diabetes and Gastric problems can add to the cause of bad breath, as well as a lax regime in oral care. Often a new diet, cutting out alcohol, and taking the correct medication can take care of the other medical problems and bad breath, but most people with bad breath also need the assistance of a dental hygienist. Bacteria is a necessary part of our diet, it breaks down our food into fat and sugar for our bodies to be able to feed the organs, blood and muscles. This bacteria is also harmful to us, when it has done its job it then evolves into a new entity. This evolutionary bacteria produces acid in our mouths that attack the protective layers of enamel on our teeth, if left unchecked it will eventually turn hard and become tartar, which is harder to remove with conventional methods such as mouthwash, flossing and brushing. Tartar needs to be removed by a method called scaling, this is a procedure done at the dentist usually every 6 months. A dentist in London W1 advises that a regime of easy oral care will go some way to preventing tartar build up, and bad breath. Best of all is the news that our teeth will need less work on them in later years, and gum disease will find it almost impossible to breed in the mouth. We often hear the expression “Rocket Science it ain`t”, well guess what? It `ain`t rocket science` to follow a simple regime and ensure good oral hygiene.

Central London dentist has cure for embarrassing bad breath

September 12th, 2009

At one point in our lives we have probably all been embarrassed, or shown up, for having bad breath. It can happen to anyone at any time unless you take some simple precautions to stop it. After all it can be very hard to tell if you have bad breath. We’ve probably all done the hand-cupping manoevre at one time and it rarely works. Because of this it can often be a source of great anxiety, and nobody wants to be known as the ‘guy with bad breath’.

Although the causes of bad breath can be internal and caused by issues such as poor digestion, recent studies have shown that almost 90% of cases of bad breath are caused by poor standards of oral hygiene. The mouth is a perfect location for bacteria to exist, with over 500 million different types of bacteria existing on the human tongue alone. Food matter, caught between teeth or in the grooves of the tongue, produce volatile sulfurous compounds which are the cause of most cases of bad breath.

So what can we do about it? Using a mouthwash will help to mask the odour but is really only treating the symptoms not the cause. The best treatment for bad breath, as it is so often when it comes to oral hygiene, is regular and effective brushing and flossing. Brushing twice a day for three minutes and flossing once a day helps to fight plaque, the substance which acts as a breeding ground for decaying bacterial matter. Not only does brushing and flossing help to prevent bad breath but by maintaining high standards of oral hygiene your mouth will overall be far healthier and you’ll be far less likely to suffer from further periodontal problems, and even general health problems. Two birds, one stone springs to mind.

Bad breath can therefore act as your first warning that improvements need to be made in your mouth. You need to brush better, floss more and keep your teeth healthy and clean. A Central London dentist will be able to offer advice on which brushes will work for you, and it always wise to keep up regular six month check to make sure that bad smelling plaque is getting the upper hand.

Keeping the London air clean

August 17th, 2008

I once read an anecdote where a person had to talk to a teller through a small hole in the window. And since they had a hard time hearing each other, they had to speak close to that hole. Unfortunately, the teller had halitosis. So, that person wanted to speed the conversation up in order to breathe fresh air once again. Hilarious, isn’t it. Unfortunately, it commonly happens and a lot of them are not aware that they have it.Halitosis is basically known as bad breath. It is often caused by the accumulation of bacteria in the oral cavity from particles of food left inside. When you have a tooth decay or dental caries, it may also lead to bad breath. Bleeding gums or gingivitis can also be a cause of halitosis. This is one of the reasons why dentists always advise their patients to clean their teeth and tongue thoroughly through brushing and flossing. Mouthwash or gum can help mask the odor but it does not treat the underlying condition.

How do you get rid of this bad breath that will not only affect the health of your body but your social status as well? First is treating the tooth decay and gingivitis. If you need to have a tooth extracted because of its decay, then you have to do it. And always keep your mouth clean and fresh by regular brushing and flossing.

Do these steps and you are on your way to that perfect smile and fresh breath, including keeping the air of London smelling clean.

Halitosis: Learn Its Causes and Treatment at a Fresh Breath Centre in London Helps

August 17th, 2008

Have you ever been in such situations where you have to sit closely beside, or worse, deal with and talk to someone with repulsive breath? When you are near people with bad breath, there is no escape for you; you always get a whiff of this stomach-turning smell. Then, when you get such an experience, you tend to worry about your own breath. Questions like, “What if I have bad breath and I am not aware of it?” or “How can I tell that I have developed bad breath?” or even “How can I make sure that my breath would not smell bad at all times?”Causes of Halitosis and Their Proper Treatment

In dentistry, no matter where you are, whether you are in Asia or somewhere in London, the medical term for bad breath is halitosis. Now it may just be morning breath, but if it persists throughout the day then something is wrong. Here are some common facts about how one develops halitosis:

Poor oral hygiene: Because of poor oral hygiene, an excess of bacteria can build up inside your mouth. These bacteria give off bad-smelling gasses that can be strong enough to smell offensive to anyone near you. Always adhere to the dentist’s instructions regarding oral hygiene. Some of these instructions may differ depending on each person’s condition.
o Gum disease: Another dental problem that is associated with halitosis is gum disease. Gum disease is superficial and does not affect the teeth or underlying bone. Gingivitis and peridontitis are the two common forms of gum disease. Some gum diseases can be cured with proper nutrition and vitamin intake coupled with good oral hygiene. Your dentists will always have the best and most appropriate remedies to recommend for this problem.
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There are many ways to treat bad breath depending on the condition that you suffer. In London, there are many competent clinics available where you can have the condition treated. Then again, the best way to fight halitosis is to maintain good oral hygiene.

As fresh as a flower in LondonW1-Good oral hygiene tips

June 21st, 2008

Feeling fresh on waking in the morning itself is energizing, at the same time bad breath can ruin our whole day. This is a very common condition affecting people living in London W1 irrespective of their age and gender. Bad breath, halitosis, or fetor oris is a condition where an unpleasant odour comes out of mouth while exhaling. It could be due to different reasons. Generally, bad breath occurs due to some conditions of mouth, tongue, gums, or teeth. The commonest cause is improper oral and dental hygiene. Sometimes it could be due some disease conditions affecting the respiratory tract such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, chronic lung disease, or other systemic conditions such as diabetes, liver, kidney diseases, etc. Sometimes, this could be psychological too. Here, the person has a delusion that he has bad breath, which actually is a misconception and is referred to as pseudo halitosis. If you have the habit of taking garlic, onion, coffee, tobacco chewing, or smoking, these things can develop bad breath lasting for a few hours. Sometimes, it could be due to xerostomia i.e. dry mouth, which results from mouth breathing, or due to some conditions affecting salivary glands. Improper functioning of salivary glands can lead to reduction in the production of saliva, which is very important in keeping the mouth clean and moist. Halitosis can be scientifically diagnosed using Halimeter, which is a sulphide monitor that detects the quantity of sulphide in the exhaled air. Other diagnostic tests available in London W1 include BANA test, gas chromatometry, and beta galactosidase tests. The important thing we have to remember is to avoid natural causes of halitosis such as food items that cause bad odour, quitting smoking, coffee drinking, etc. Maintaining good oral hygiene is of prime importance, as food items collected in the mouth would decay due to the action of numerous bacteria in the mouth producing foul gases. During sleep, our mouth is not protected by saliva, as salivary secretion decreases during sleep. Hence, proper brushing and cleaning before and after sleep is very important in maintaining oral hygiene. if you suspect halitosis even with good oral hygiene, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible, to determine the proper course of treatment and if needed a referral to your physician for further evaluation. The treatment depends on the primary cause, which causes the complaint. If you have sinus infection or cough with expectoration of foul mucus, that can result in bad odour from mouth. In most cases, it is not easy to find the exact cause, hence general measures such as proper brushing of dentures or teeth and cleaning back of the tongue with gentle brush or scraper to remove the collected bacteria are very important. Gargling with a good mouthwash also helps you keep the breath fresh. If there is any gum infection, we have to treat it completely. Drinking adequate quantities of water, eating nutritious breakfast, good oral hygiene, gargling with mouthwash, chewing sugar-free gum, eating carrots etc. may help to reduce the condition.