Everyone wants to have a radiant smile and healthy teeth. A lot of people pay attention to the beauty of teeth from the outside. The truth is that you also have to take care of the little spaces between your teeth in order to have a completely healthy mouth. It is impossible to have a radiant smile and a healthy mouth if you do not clean the spaces between your teeth.

I’ve been practicing dentistry for years already and I always tell my patients that you have to take care of the spaces between your teeth. There are a lot of ways to take care of the spaces between your teeth. In my dental clinic here in London, I offer total cleaning of the teeth or what is also known as prophylaxis. I recommend that you have total teeth cleaning once a year or more.

Aside from visiting your dentist, you also have to do your own interdental cleaning at home. Keep those spaces between your teeth as clean as possible by using dental floss. After you brush your teeth, you can reach the spaces between your teeth through dental floss. Try to brush and floss your teeth twice a day.

Flossing has evolved. There are several types of floss for your teeth nowadays. You can use super floss which is a foamy and spongy type of floss. This floss cleans spaces between your teeth much better because of its spongy nature. Dental tape is a type of floss that is wider than the usual floss. Since the area of flossing is bigger, dental tape can cover larger surface areas between your teeth. The last type of floss involved floss holders. With floss holders, the floss is usually stronger than the average floss and the holder makes it easier for you to navigate through the spaces between your teeth.

If you aren’t flossing regularly then consider getting floss as soon as possible. Prevent the onset of any kind of tooth decay or gum disease by cleaning the spaces between your teeth. I never fail to reiterate to my patients to brush and floss twice or more daily.

Aside from telling my patients that they have to take care of their teeth, I never fail to stress the importance of taking care of their gums as well. If you do not take care of your gums then there will be no place for your teeth. The gums are the foundation for your teeth and if you don’t take care of them then don’t expect to have healthy teeth too.

I’ve seen a lot of patients here in London who always brush their teeth but still complain that their gums hurt. How can this happen? The most important thing that you have to understand is that there are spaces between your teeth and your gums. We’re not talking about the evident little spaces between your teeth. We’re talking about the spaces that are snuggled between your teeth and your gums. This is the kind of space that you can’t see with your bare eyes.

Gum disease is caused mainly by bacteria and germs. The build up of bacteria and germs is caused by accumulated plaque. Plaque is a mixture of food and different kinds of bacteria that accumulate in the mouth. There are a lot of people who brush their teeth but fail to clean these spaces between the teeth and gums. When this plaque accumulates, you will end up getting some sort of gum disease.

Gingivitis is the most common type of gum disease. This is characterized by swelling gums, bleeding gums after brushing, and smelly breath. If you do not treat gingivitis then the gum disease may get worse and become periodontitis. This is when your teeth start falling out of your mouth. It’s scary to go through this so don’t tempt fate!

Brushing your teeth everyday is great for your teeth but there are some areas in your mouth that need expert cleaning. Visit your dentist once or twice a year so that you can have these tricky places cleaned. Preventing gum disease is the best way to have a healthy mouth and a radiant smile. Don’t wait for gum disease to happen and don’t let it get worse if you have it already.

It is not difficult to maintain good oral hygiene; all you have to do is to follow these tips on oral hygiene. These tips are not difficult to follow; and you need not use any expensive equipment, potions or lotions to follow them.Bleeding gums is a problem most complaints dentists in London receive from their customers. However to cure this problem, you only have to examine the way you brush your teeth. Brushing away from the gums exposes the roots of the teeth; this is why it is better to use a gentle ‘up and down’ motion when brushing.

Frenzied side to side brushing motion also causes recession of the gums. Try to clean the areas between your teeth using floss; pieces of food found here only decays and will otherwise be detected only with toothache or gum disease. Even smoking is bad for gums as over time, it affects the deterioration of gums.

If you have sensitive teeth, I suggest you use specialized toothpastes to prevent sensitivity. Try rinsing with warm water if you have sensitive teeth and just resent rinsing with cold water.

Bad breath develops with poor oral hygiene. Though an antiseptic mouthwash improves your breath, drinking lots of water is an easier option as it prevents the mouth from drying. Also make it a point to clean the back of your tongue using your toothbrush and to dislodge pieces of food in your teeth to prevent it from rotting in your mouth.

Most important, visit your dentist regularly. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to consult professionals as we are here to look after the single set of adult teeth you have to maintain throughout your life.

Tooth abscess is a state when pus accumulates in or around the roots of a tooth. It causes severe pain and the affected tooth may loosen. Taking pain killers and draining the gum boil is just an act of first aid. It is advisable that you visit a dentist.

Symptoms of tooth abscess:
 Agonizing pain which increases on touching the tooth. Pain is severe when biting or chewing.
 Swelling appears on the gum which is red and the affected tooth loosens.
 Foul tasting secretion is discharged into the mouth.
 When the contagion spreads to nearby tissues swelling appears on your face and you develop fever.
Treatment of tooth abscess:

The aim of abscess tooth treatment in the dental hospitals of London or anywhere else is to first of all remove the infection. Once the infection is eliminated the tooth is preserved. This will prevent further complications.

The abscess has to be drained so that the infection can be eliminated. Root canal is the process through which tooth drainage is conducted. In some cases root canal surgery is also recommended so that any diseased root tissue is removed once the infection subsides. Finally a crown may be positioned over the tooth.

Drainage of the abscess can be carried out through the socket by extracting the tooth.

The last method of draining the abscess can also be carried out by slitting the swollen gum tissue.

Once the abscess is drained then you will have to take antibiotics to help you to fight the infection. To get relief from the pain and discomfort linked to an abscessed tooth, you can use over the counter pain killers or rinse with warm salt water.

Prevention of tooth abscess
Tooth abscess can be prevented by adopting good oral hygiene practices. And if you feel that your tooth has loosened then it is advisable for you to seek immediate dental attention.

Ok, my kid hates to brush his teeth. It takes a mixture of cajoling and threats to get the tot to make sure his teeth are clean and sparkly in the morning and night. I did everything possible to getting him softer brushes to forcibly cleaning his teeth myself, but nothing seemed to work! But recently there’s been a 360 degree turnaround in him and it’s due to BRUSH UPS!

Yes that’s right, he hates to do the butt work himself but does not mind when someone else uses these really soft finger gloves to clean out his teeth! My mother found this really neat product from Oral B called Brush-ups. And she thought instead of the daily tussle why not use these to clean the little brats teeth and as always she was right! Oral B Brush-Ups consist of these really smooth textured teeth wipes to clean off the gunk of baby teeth and your tongue for instant fresh breath!You can fit them on your finger and then run them over your teeth to keep them really clean. And with the moisture guard your finger does not get wet! Although these are really great. I wouldn’t advise them for regular use and every London dentist recommends tooth brushing as the only way to keep teeth clean.

No one really likes visiting their London dentist but it’s really necessary that you do get a check up done atleast once in six months. The main reason for this is that gum disease is a really insidious condition which has no major symptoms until the disease has advanced to a very bad condition. Here’s how it starts!The formation of soft and hard deposits on the teeth surface is really common and occurs for everyone. But most of the time with proper care plaque is not allowed to accumulate. But irregular brushing and poor oral hygiene can result in plaque accumulations which are infected with bacteria starting gum diseases. The plaque that slowly hardens over time and collects at the gum line is then called as calculus or tartar. Plaque or tartar now houses colonies of bacteria which infect the adjoining gums to cause gingivitis or gum inflammation. This infection can spread into the bone and can cause peridontitis.

If you do not catch this condition immediately for treatment, it can lead to loss of teeth, loose teeth or shrinking gums. Proper brushing techniques and flossing will help a lot to remove plaque formation. Oral health is also very important especially in pregnant women and in diabetic patients. People in this category are more susceptible to develop serious gum diseases. Other than loss of teeth, gum disease can cause serious inflammations in heart valves. The bacteria in the infected teeth can spread into the blood stream while chewing or eating and then reach lungs and other organs to cause serious infections.

Are you alone and pregnant in London? Wondering how you can protect your teeth better? Pregnancy is a state where your body is vulnerable physically and mentally. Lots of changes happen in your body. Emotions, weight and hormones work together creating weird but necessary cocktail of materials required to keep your baby healthy. Your body will be focusing on nurturing and caring and sharing of your baby’s growth within. As a result your body’s immune system gets slightly overloaded.It is possible for formation of pregnancy tumors to take place which look like red, raspberry colored lesions. It’s nothing to worry about but if you don’t take care of the plaque formation on your teeth then it rapidly increases in size. Prevention is the best solution and keep your gum area and teeth clean by brushing and flossing.

If you are suffering from morning sickness along with your pregnancy you should be extra cautious. The acids in the stomach can destroy your teeth’s enamel to cause a chalky white ring at your gum line. It can even cause cavities along the gum line. Keep a careful eye on these lesions and get them filled at the earliest opportunityMake it a practice to clean your teeth at the dentist in every four months. Take a little time more to clean your teeth gently. You can even use a fluoride rinse to prevent formation of cavities.

Do you regularly use a mouthwash? Active ingredients in a mouthwash may vary and each has its own uses. It doesn’t really control the bad breath but does help to mask the odor for a few minutes. But quite a few people still use mouthwash. So what does a mouthwash actually contain? Let’s find out!
• Most of the new generation mouthwashes contain sodium chlorite which is supposed to keep the mouth odorless for a maximum of four hours. But it’s not very effective in killing bacteria which causes the bad breath.
• Some mouthwashes contain sodium chlorite as well as zinc chloride. These are much more effective in controlling bad breath for up to 12 hours. But after that bacteria rebounds again to produce stale gases.
• A few other common ingredients used in mouthwashes are sodium bicarbonate, alcohol along with flavoring oils, sorbitol, urea, boric acid, propylene glycol, dchloride and chlorophylin, cinnamon, methyl salicylate, menthol, anethole, thyme, certified colors, cetylpyridinium and resorcinol. But there are is a very high chance that quite a few of the ingredients can cause allergic reaction and problems in adults so do be careful.
• Antimicrobials like cetylpyridinium chloride, sanguinarine, chlorhexidine, phenolic compounds can actually cut down the amount of bacteria in the mouth controlling bad breath.By now you must have realized that there’s no substitute for good oral hygiene and brushing. There are so many varieties in London stores that it can be confusing so try to use a mouthwash only on the recommendation of your London dentist who can get you a medicated mouthwash for your specific needs.

What do you do to make sure you have sweet breath? Do you brush regularly and floss as well as use a mouthwash? Does all this really work for you?No! Well here are a few tried and tested traditional methods to get your breath squeaky clean with natural ingredients sourced from London stores.
• Fresh coriander leaves are readily available online and all you have to do is get the fresh seeds and use them as a chewing gum. Instant freshness!
• Powder the peel of a pomegranate and then dry it to use as a tooth powder to clean teeth with.
• Dissolve about two teaspoons of baking powder in a glass of water and use as a rinse to clean out your mouth.
• Drink at least ten glasses of water a day to flush out yours system and mouth of accumulated debris.
• Clean your tongue too everyday. You don’t really need to get something special but simply scraping the tooth brush on your tongue is more than enough to get your tongue clean of the clinging bacterial colonies.
• Try to avoid potent foods like garlic and onions late in the night. Small fibers of these can linger in your mouth causing fermentation over night.

Most people love to believe that a really great tooth paste will compensate for a bad brushing technique or improper oral hygiene .But it isn’t so! Brushing well is much more important than getting the newest and best toothpaste in the market. You can even try getting your own toothpaste made at home according to your requirements .Here is a quick listing on how to make your own toothpaste with ingredients from any London local store.
Herbal toothpaste Ingredients
4 tsp glycerine
6 tsps baking soda
15 drops peppermint oil1/3 tsp salt
Directions:
All you have to do is take the ingredients and mix thoroughly. You can even add flavoring by adding a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen oil. Keep this in a separate container or add with half and half of commercial toothpowder to get a much better clean of your teeth. For making it more toothpaste to look at you can add one tsp of food coloring and then mix it up with sufficient water to form a paste. Fill up one of the toothpaste tubes with this and you’re done

Really fragrant toothpaste ingredients
1/4 tsp powdered orrisroot
1/4 tsp water
1 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp arrowroot
1/4 tsp peppermint oil
1/4 tsp spearmint
Directions:
Add all the dry ingredients together and then add sufficient water to make a thick funky paste. You can add different flavoring pastes as well as coloring agents to get a really tooth pasty looking mix.