To prevent plaque developing into tartar, it’s best to brush your teeth twice daily and floss a few times a week. If tartar, or dental calculus, is allowed to remain on the teeth, it can cause chronic infection and inflammation, both of which are painful and damaging to your dental health. It’s also one of the leading causes of tooth decay, which can lead to tooth-aches and, potentially, tooth removal. Tartar that develops above the gum line can also lead to serious cases of gum disease.

The only way to remove dental calculus from your teeth is to see your dentist about treatment. Your dentist will clean your teeth through a method known as a scale and polish, which will remove built-up plaque and tartar from your teeth. In more serious cases, your dentist may employ an ultrasonic cleaning device to clear away large amounts of calculus build-up.

Having your teeth cleared of plaque and calculus will not only prevent the destructive effects of these damaging bacteria, but will also make it harder for plaque and calculus to accumulate again. The rough surface of dental calculus is the ideal environment for the formation of further bacteria, meaning that without treatment, you can quickly be caught up in a downward spiral.

Even while maintaining good oral hygiene, having your teeth cleaned professionally on a semi-regular basis will help you to keep damaging bacteria at bay. Ask your City of London dentist for more advice and information about dental calculus on your next check-up.

Caused by a build-up plaque on the teeth, which can result from not brushing or flossing often enough, gum disease can be a serious problem for many people. If it develops into periodontitis, it can even result in the loss of a tooth.

You can start to protect yourself from gum disease now, by maintaining good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss a few times a week, use mouthwash where possible, and see your dentist regularly.

However, if your gum disease is more advanced, your dentist may want to provide treatment. This might be a scale and polish, to clear tartar and plaque from your teeth using special instruments, or could involve root planning, where your dentist will clear bacteria from the roots of your teeth. Antibiotics are also a common course of treatment for cases of gum disease.

Severe gum disease, including periodontitis, could require surgery to remove an infected tooth and stop the problem worsening. This is why it’s a good idea to have your dentist take a look at your gums as soon as you spot anything amiss – early gum disease is easy to treat, and even easier to prevent.

If your gums are sore, swollen or red, or if they bleed when you brush, see your London dentist as soon as possible about gum disease treatment.

Brushing in the morning is vital because plaque easily forms at night when you are producing less saliva. By doing so again in the evening you are ridding your mouth of the plaque and food debris that will be present after your daily meals. You should always brush thoroughly so that you are removing all of the plaque that you can from the surfaces of your teeth. Use a fluoride tooth paste and make sure that your tooth brush is easy to hold and has a set of firm bristles.

Flossing must be carried out also. Tear a convenient length of dental floss from the roll and pull it between the gaps in your teeth. Even the most expert of brushing regimes will not be able to remove all the plaque from these tiny gaps and so flossing is very important to stop cavities forming there and lessen the chances of gum disease.

The consequences of not brushing and flossing properly are potentially serious. Cavities can form which will need to be filled, lest plaque ruins your teeth and leaves them not fit for purpose. A leading cause of tooth loss though is gum disease which is also caused by plaque which is not dealt with. Your City of London dentist can give you more information on these matters.

You should brush your teeth at least twice every day, so that plaque cannot build up on the teeth and start to cause decay to set in. Dentists reckon that the best times to brush are first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The reasons are thus: when you sleep you produce less saliva and so plaque is more likely to take hold in the mouth. Brushing when you wake, or perhaps after breakfast, should rid the mouth of the plaque formed during the night and moisten the mouth too. Brushing before sleep removes the plaque formed from the day’s meals. Some people like to brush after sugary snacks too.

Make sure you use a tooth brush that has a set of firm bristles so that plaque and food debris is efficiently removed from the surfaces of teeth. The head of the brush should be easily manoeuvred so that one of the main functions of brushing is achieved: maximum coverage of all of the surfaces of all of your teeth.

Use a tooth paste that contains fluoride so that your enamel can be strengthened and make sure that you are not brushing so vigorously that your gums or enamel can be damaged.

Dental floss can be bought from super markets, pharmacies and your dental surgery and comprises a roll of thin tape in a small, handy box. It is very cheap and can conveniently be packed into a small space so that you can take it with you on holiday or on a business trip.

It is used by pulling a length of it from the small box and tearing it off, using a serrated edge that lies next to the hole. You should then manoeuvre the floss in between two of your teeth and pull it back and forth.

The purpose of this is to remove plaque and food debris from the slim gap between your teeth. Brushes are simply unable to reach these parts of the mouth and if you leave plaque in these places then you are leaving yourself open to tooth decay and gum disease.

If you have not flossed before then you might want to ask your Central London dentist to tell you the best techniques that you can use. Many people get put off from flossing because the first few times can yield a little blood as the floss cuts the gum. But you should carry on with it so that you don’t have to deal with the pain and indignity of suffering from gum disease.

Dental scientists have long recognised the benefits of using fluoride on teeth. It is helpful for oral health because it strengthens the enamel which coats teeth. Once enamel has gone it will not come back and cavities can form which will need to be filled. Plaque breaks down the enamel on teeth, leaving them exposed.

As such fluoride is added to tooth paste so that, when brushing your teeth you are strengthening the enamel. But some people have long argued that fluoride can be damaging to the health of users. Indeed even dentists recommend that the very young do not use fluoride at all. It is true that especially large doses of the chemical can cause a condition called dental fluorosis but this is rather rare.

Especially controversial was the decision in many countries to add fluoride directly to the water supply, thereby essentially removing peoples’ choice as to whether they use fluoride. Tooth paste without fluoride is available but most dentists agree that fluoride forms a vital part of preventive dentistry and should be used daily. Feel free to talk to your City of London dentist if you have any questions about fluoride.

As you will be using your tooth brush at least twice every single day, it is important that you choose one that is comfortable to hold in your hand. The handle shouldn’t be too big or too small and have an adequate grip so that it won’t slip out of your grasp. The colour is not important unless you are buying for an infant and feel that a certain colour might give them an added incentive to brush their teeth.

The bristles ought to be firm and stout on a head that is not too larger; remember that you want the brush to reach into all corners of your mouth and an especially big head will be difficult to manoeuvre adequately. Many dentists advise their patients now to use electric tooth brushes because of the increased cleaning ability available from the vibrating head. Try and get one with a small head that acts in a rotating motion. You will still need to replace these heads as the bristles get worn down just like on a manual brush.

Don’t be shy about asking your London dentist for advice about brushes. With such a variety on the market it is worth getting some tips from the experts about this matter.