One of the ways you can ensure that you care for your teeth in the city of London is to be aware of what food you are putting into your mouth. For a start, having a good, strong and healthy diet will help to give your immune system support and this will in turn, reflect in the way your teeth grow, in essence, good food equals good teeth. But on the front line that is your mouth itself, certain foods can have more harmful affects on your teeth than others. Citrus fruit juices, although good for your body, can be very acidic on the teeth and burn into the enamel. Stodgy, high-starched foods such as potatoes and other root vegetables adhere strongly in and around the teeth and if not removed, can soon start releasing acids that help the build up of plaque. It is also the same for sugar based foods and drinks and too much of these can lead quickly to tooth decay. You need to find the perfect balance between what you eat and then how you clean your teeth and gums afterwards to ensure these bacteria do not get a foothold in your mouth. A good cup of black or green tea after a meal will help to neutralise the bacteria that forms plaque, as does cranberry juice which also strengthens your gums. It is all about being sensible and no-one is suggesting you can’t have a blow out with a fine curry or a Chinese, but if you know what you are eating, you can tailor your cleaning to remove the residue of such foods with the right techniques.

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.

When you brush your teeth is important. Most people tend to do so first thing in the morning and last thing at night as well. During sleep your saliva production is particularly low so it is a good idea to brush away the bacteria that form when you wake up. Doing so in the evening as well will remove most of the plaque that has been formed from the meals you have eaten. Some people choose to brush after meals too and this is particularly advisable if the meals have contained a lot of sugar and or starch.

The brush you use will make a difference in several ways. You must choose one that is comfortable to hold and with a head that is small enough to easily manoeuvre around all the nooks and crannies of your mouth.

London W1 dentists also advise patients that they should replace their brush regularly so that frayed bristles cannot hamper your plaque removal efforts.

That is the potential consequence of tooth decay that has gone too far: an extraction because of the failure of a tooth. It is the last resort for dentists and they will try and advise about how this can be avoided. The thing to remember when it comes to tooth decay is that it is ultimately caused by the substance known as plaque. While plaque cannot be avoided as such, it can be minimised and then effectively removed from the mouth.

Brushing and flossing are the best places to start of course. The process of brushing your teeth with a tooth brush and fluoride tooth paste rids the teeth of most of the plaque that builds up after eating and drinking. The failure to do this or do it properly, can leave plaque on the teeth, free to erode the layer of enamel and cause teeth to decay.

Even if you think you are brushing and flossing as well as you can do, your dentist might be able to spot signs of tooth decay. This is another great reason to go and visit your Central London dentist every six months or as directed. Tooth decay can then be effectively stopped in its tracks.

Give your teeth a bit of attention at least twice a day. The best times are thought to be first thing in the morning and last thing at night too. Many people like to do so after some of their meals too, especially if they have eaten a significant amount of sugar or starch (the biggest culprits when it comes to plaque production). The only danger here is over-brushing which can damage the gums and wear away the enamel from your teeth.

Make sure that your tooth brush is comfortable to hold and manoeuvre and with a head that is not overly large; remember, it needs to fit into all the corners of your mouth. Replace your brush (or the head if you use an electric tooth brush) whenever the bristles start to fray. At this point your brushing will be less effective so you will need to sort it out.

Using a tooth paste that contains fluoride will help to strengthen the enamel on your teeth and guard against the dangerous incursions of plaque that causes cavities. Flossing is the final piece in the jigsaw because it will rid your mouth of plaque that is in the gaps between teeth.

The fact is that taking care of your gums is just as important as looking after your teeth and it is just as simple. The key to having healthy gums is to make sure that plaque is removed from the gum line of teeth. This is mostly achieved by the brushing that is routine for a great many people. But something that is missed out all too often is flossing. Plaque easily gets into the gaps between teeth, as well as sticking to the surfaces of teeth. This has to be removed with as much urgency as the plaque that is on the surfaces of teeth and yet the bristles of tooth brushes are not equipped to get there. Pulling dental floss through the gaps should take care of it.

The gum disease that is to be avoided starts off as gingivitis: a relatively benign condition that manifests itself as slightly reddened gums that are a little more sensitive to extremes in temperature. This condition can be easily cleared up with better brushing and flossing and sometimes the use of certain mouth washes or antibiotics.

Where gum disease can cause tooth loss is cases when periodontitis occurs. Here the inflammation spreads to the jaw bones and the painful, swollen gums start to recede dangerously. Get help from your London W1 dentist is the best advice when it comes to your gums.

When you go to the dentist for a check up, they will be looking out for signs of potential problems in the making. Your West London dentist will examine all of your teeth for signs of excess plaque and also to monitor them to see if cavities are forming. Cavities occur when the enamel is worn away by plaque or teeth grinding, leaving the nerves inside the teeth exposed to potential damage. If plaque has built up to such a degree that it has hardened into tartar, your dentist will be able to remove it using a technique known as scaling and polishing.

Your dentist will also examine your gums for signs of inflammation that can mean gum disease or gingivitis, in the most basic form. Dentists are now trained too to look out for oral cancer and sleep apnea. Many dental surgeries increasingly offer a service whereby you are sent a reminder to tell you that it has been six months since your last check up. This reminder can come in the form of mail, e-mail or a text message to your phone.

There is not one single reason for different peoples’ experiences of dental pain and dentists are able to identify with accuracy what are the individual causes. When plaque begins to wear down the enamel that coats teeth, leaving the nerves inside exposed, this can cause a dull ache in the teeth. Your dentist will need to fill in these cavities so that the tooth does completely lose its structure and begin to fully break down.

Patients who are grinding their teeth during their sleep might also experience a similar dull ache in their teeth. This is caused by the grinding process that will be wearing the enamel away and also the pressure that is put on the teeth.

In the most severe case of teeth, some infected material might be present actually within the tooth itself. This is what is called a tooth abscess and can be the result of an accident involving serious impact to the mouth area or the contamination of the tooth with bacteria that has got inside by some means. Your City of London dentist might recommend that you undergo root canal treatment in order to save the tooth.