Looking after your teeth is very important. There are a few oral hygiene habits that are crucial to keeping your teeth in the best possible condition.

Most importantly is brushing. City of London dentists recommend that you brush twice a day for at least three minutes. This should be done with a soft bristled brush, to protect the gums, and preferably one with a small head to allow a greater access to all parts of the mouth. You should try and hold the brush at a forty-five degree angle to the gums so that they are gently stimulated as you brush the flat surfaces of the teeth. This removes bacteria and plaque from the teeth, substances that combine to release acids which gradually erode tooth enamel causing decay. Effective brushing can be the key to fighting decay and gum disease but it is more effective still when combined with flossing.

Flossing allows you to clean the parts of the teeth that are difficult to reach using a conventional toothbrush. This includes the areas between the teeth that are too narrow to be cleaned by the bristles on most brushes. Food particles and bacteria often accumulate in these gaps, which cause not only decay but also can be the underlying cause of bad breath. Flossing also allows you to clean the part of the teeth and gums around the base that are hard to get to with a brush. This helps to prevent inflamed gums which can trap bacteria and cause unpleasant bleeding.

As well as brushing and flossing you may also want to use a tongue scraper or tongue brush a couple of times a week to remove bacteria for the tongue.

Xerostomia, more commonly known as dry mouth, is a condition caused by a lack of production of saliva. This can cause problems because saliva is integral in the mouth for eating, talking and the regulation of bacteria. There are hundreds of millions of bacteria that live in the warm and moist oral cavity controlled by saliva, so any interruption in this process can cause the numbers of bacteria to rise sharply. This can cause unpleasant oral hygiene conditions such as halitosis.

This lack of saliva can also lead to a dramatic rise in the number and seriousness of dental cavities. Saliva also removes bacteria that form part of the filmy substance called plaque, which causes enamel erosion. Plaque releases acid when the bacteria and food debris in it break down gradually destroying the protective layer of enamel and causing cavities. Saliva is the mouths natural defence against plaque so a drop in production can be dangerous for your teeth. Saliva also has the effect of re-mineralising the enamel, making it stronger and more resistant to attack from plaque acids.

Xerostomia is caused by a number of factors ranging from alcohol consumption in excess, diabetes and even physical trauma. It is also a common side-effects of many medications such as anti-depressants. Treatment usually involves eliminating the cause of the problem and paying extra attention to oral hygiene. This will certainly help to reduce the impact of bad breath and dental cavities. Central London dentists can examine your mouth for the signs and symptoms of xerostomia and can offer advice and improved hygiene methods to help you deal with this unpleasant condition.

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that generally erupt in people’s late teens or early twenties. In some patients with smaller jaws the wisdom teeth may never fully erupt which cause them to push forward potentially causing significant damage to the roots of other teeth. This can also cause infections and cysts to develop in the tissue surrounding the teeth.

Wisdom teeth can also cause pain if there is enough room but they are not aligned correctly. In fact, in studies it has been found that incorrectly aligned teeth can be just as likely to develop infection as teeth without enough room. These infections can cause very unpleasant pain that will need dental treatment to stop. This usually involves the removal of the wisdom teeth by a City of London dentist or maxillofacial surgeon. Depending on the severity of the problem, this will be carried out in either the dentist’s surgery or in the hospital for more extreme cases. The more compacted or misaligned, the more complicated and lengthy the surgery. Ignoring wisdom teeth altogether can lead to tissue and nerve damage in the facial muscles.

Dentists will usually check patients of a certain age for developing wisdom teeth to see if they are going to pose a problem. It is better to remove wisdom teeth likely to be problematic before they actually begin to cause pain as this makes removal far less unpleasant. Wisdom teeth are easier to remove in younger patients because the roots are softer as they have not had time to properly develop.

With so many different styles, shapes and gimmicks on the market it is difficult to know which toothbrush is the right one for you. It can be confusing making a choice but here are a few things to bear in mind.

Firstly, most dental health care professionals recommend a soft bristle brush, as it is best for removing plaque and food debris caught in teeth. It is also advised that brushes with small heads are better as they are more able to reach the difficult and heard to reach areas of the mouth. This is useful as these are the areas where tooth decay commonly occurs. Pick a brush with a handle or grip that is comfortable for you. Brushing your teeth is very important and needs to be done at least twice a day for three minutes so it’s always better if you are happy when doing it.

In the last few years there have been more and more affordable electric toothbrushes, which can do a lot of the work for you. Generally, the rule is that you get what you pay for so the more expensive it is the better it will work. Toothbrushes should be replaced whenever they begin to show wear or every three months, whichever is sooner, as a worn toothbrush is rarely if ever effective. Old toothbrushes can also collect germs which you are then effectively spreading around your mouth which can lead to infection.

The one sure-fire way to know if you are using the right toothbrush is to ask your dentist. They are the ones who have the best view of your teeth and know what is and isn’t required. At your next appointment with a London dentist, take your toothbrush and ask if it is suitable for your teeth and gums. The right toothbrush can have a very dramatic impact on your oral hygiene.

Keeping your teeth clean and free from plaque by brushing and flossing can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease and can keep your mouth looking clean and healthy, but cleaning alone is not enough to prevent all dental problems. As well as a strict and effective dental hygiene routine it is also essential that you keep up six-monthly appointments at the dentist.

The dentist will be able to spot any signs of decay or disease that may be happening even if you clean effectively. It is often the most hard to reach places that are the main areas of decay and dentists can monitor and clean these difficult spots to keep teeth as healthy as possible. Dentists are also able to spot the first signs of more serious problems such as oral cancer or infection.

As well as seeing a dentist, it may be a good idea to see a dental hygienist. They are becoming more and more common in the UK as they allow the dentist more time to focus on their caseload and allow patients a more direct and focused cleaning appointment. Hygienists can offer thorough dental cleaning as well as liaising with the dentist to develop a more effective cleaning plan.

Most City of London dentists will now offer a dental hygienist as part of a regular six monthly check up service. It is not advised that you go longer than six-months between appointments unless your dentist has advised it for some reason. Some patients may need to see the dentist more regularly.

Tooth abscesses are one of the most painful and least pleasant of all the dental conditions. Abscesses are caused when tooth decay has caused a breach in the protective enamel which has allowed bacteria to penetrate to the centre of the tooth and infect the nerve area. The human body responds to infection by producing an excess of white blood cells that attack the infection. This produces a yellowy substance called pus, which builds up around the infected area. In the case of a tooth abscess, this pus swelling occurs in the tissue surrounding the tooth and can become extremely sensitive and painful. This can make everyday tasks such as talking and eating very difficult or at times even impossible.

Tooth abscesses are therefore not very pleasant at the best of times. Not only are they painful and unpleasant but they also represent a wider risk to your health. In recent years, research has been carried out into the links between dental infection and heart disease. It has been proven that dental infection, if it enters the blood stream can cause a dangerous narrowing of the arteries around the heart that can cause heart disease and be potentially fatal. It also has links to strokes and cancer that need to be taken very seriously.

Taking good care of your teeth is a simple and effective way of looking after them and keeping them healthy for life. By following just a few simple rules you can keep your teeth free of decay and gum disease and keep your breath fresh. But it is amazing how many people are unaware of how to clean their teeth properly and the trouble this can cause.

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day for at least three minutes using a brush with appropriate bristles (too hard can be damaging, too soft can be ineffectual) and suitable toothpaste. A City of London dentist can recommend both of these products at a routine check up. By brushing at a forty-five degree angle to the teeth you are also cleaning the gums helping to keep them healthy. Again, a dentist can show you the best way to brush.

It is also crucial that you use dental floss on a daily basis. Not flossing is like having a shower and only washing two thirds of your body. Because food and bacteria can get stuck in hard to reach places and between teeth this often means that decay starts in places you cannot see. That is why it is crucial to floss everyday to remove this matter from difficult to reach places. Decaying food mater caught between teeth is also responsible for 90 per cent of cases of bad breath, which can be prevented with flossing.

Other cleaning tools such as tongue scrapers and inter-dental brushes, as well as mouthwashes, can be recommended by your dentist at your next six-monthly appointment, which is the most fundamental way of keeping your mouth healthy.

When looking for a new dentist it is very important to find one who not only has access to the latest dental technology for the best treatment, but also to look for a dentist who really cares about your dental health. Believe it or not but there are dentists out there who don’t offer the best service they can and often short change patients on providing the best service.

Finding a dentist who really cares about their patients is one of the most important qualities to look for when choosing a dentist. This is because a dentist who is willing to go the extra mile is more likely to take the time to help you take better care of your teeth. It also means that they will be more aware of the pain people can suffer during treatment and especially the anxiety that many people suffer when visiting the dentist. Dental anxiety affects nearly 90 per cent of people in the UK to varying degrees, with some people being almost completely unable to see a dentist through fear. In many cases this phobia has been caused by a particularly unsympathetic dentist, who has caused a patient pain or been oblivious to their anxieties. For patients suffering form dental anxiety it is essential to find an understanding dentist so you can talk through your fears in order to overcome them.

It is also essential to have a caring dentist when taking children for a check up. Many of our fears and anxieties are adult responses to traumatic experiences during childhood, so removing this unnecessary stimulus can lead to a lifetime of anxiety-free dental treatment. Dentists in London are especially trained to provide compassionate and understanding treatment for every patient to make their dentistry experience as pleasant as possible.

Everyone knows about the health consequences of smoking but slightly lesser known are the negative dental effects of using tobacco products. These can range from smaller problems like bad breath to very serious and life threatening health problems like oral cancer.

The risk of dental problems is greatly increased by smoking and the list of problems it can cause is very long. Smoking can cause gum disease, discolouration and even tooth loss because the nicotine and tar found in cigarettes causes plaque to stick to the teeth and gums causing decay. Smoking also prevents the flow of saliva, which acts as a natural protective agent against tooth decay and gum disease.

Smoking is particularly bad for the gums as it limits the flow of blood to the tissue causing inflammation and increased infection. Gum tissue can also loosen as a result of smoking, creating spaces for bacteria to gather. These recesses are very difficult to clean once filled with plaque and bacteria. Smoking can also prevent successful treatment of many dental problems as it can impair healing.

If you are experiencing dental problems as a result of smoking or are concerned about what damage it may be doing to your teeth, make an appointment to see a City of London dentist to discuss possible treatments and advice on giving up. Quitting smoking at any stage in life can allow your teeth to recover to a certain degree. Gums will be healthier and any dental treatment will be far more effective for non-smokers than for smokers. You can help your teeth and gums stay healthy by stopping smoking today with help from a City of London dentist.

As children, we are always taught that if we take good care of our teeth then they will last a lifetime. While it is true that the standard of dental care has dramatically increased since our grandparents were children, many dental problems are still very prevalent.

Judging by the levels of tooth decay and periodontal disease, we are forgetting the lessons of childhood and not taking proper care of our teeth. With the first pace of modern day life, it seems that proper brushing and flossing are becoming the victims of complacency. We might not think it is that important if we forget to floss every now and then, or if we miss a dental check up a couple of times but the importance of proper dental care can not be overstated.

Our mouths are the gateway to our body and what goes on in there can have a serious impact on our overall health. In recent years, studies have conclusively proved the link between periodontal disease and heart disease. Oral infections can cause the arteries to narrow greatly increasing the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Likewise, poor dental hygiene has been linked to both osteoporosis and diabetes. And we haven’t even mentioned the painful and costly dental complications that can occur if you neglect your teeth. Ask anyone who has undergone a root canal treatment and they will certainly tell you to look after your teeth properly.

The lesson is to start brushing and flossing as dentists recommend and to make an appointment for a check up every six months with a London dentist, regardless if you think your teeth are fine. Dentists can spot and treat the first signs if infection and help to keep you and your teeth healthy.