London cosmetic dentistry

Archive for the ‘Oral Hygiene’ Category

Simple oral hygiene tips to keep Londoners mouth healthy

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

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 treatment in London

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

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.

London kids love to brush their teeth with brush ups

Sunday, July 6th, 2008

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.

London dentists advise on best ways to control gum disease!

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

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.

Being pregnant in London! dont neglect your teeth

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

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.

Selecting a Smart Mouthwash from London stores for fresh feeling

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

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.

Learn the best way to avoid London bad breath

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

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.

Getting the best herbal toothpaste in London

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

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 bxp38020.jpg
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.

Maintaining good dental hygiene in London

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

u24709716.jpgGoing to any dentist can be a really painful experience and most people do require something or the other to be done on their teeth. But with careful care you can maintain your teeth in perfect condition and just get follow up care very six months. Here are a few tips on how you can maintain perfect dental health for yourself.• Use a straw while drinking soft drinks. Most soft drinks contain a large amount of carbonic acid which can etch the surface of teeth. You can feel this after having soft drinks; the surface of your teeth immediately feels rough. The carbonic acid eats away at the superficial layer on your tooth and causes it to retain food particles. These can later on form cavities. You can avoid this completely by sipping soft drinks directly through a straw which prevents the soft drink from washing against your teeth.
• Drink water with every thing sweet you eat. The water washes away all the sugar and prevents it from lodging in between the teeth where it does the most damage.
• Drink a lot of water and, make sure you swish it around your mouth. Most countries and cities, especially London, now have compulsorily fluoridated water which is good for teeth. Combine this with a fluoridated mouthwash and with fluoridated toothpaste and you can’t lose. Just be careful with children under the age of two.

Buying a mouthwash in London: do’s and don’t

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

bn254041.jpgI love mouthwashes! Doesn’t it give your mouth a really pleasant zing after you rinse out? Most London dentists don’t really recommend any particular mouth wash brand but they don’t really advice you against it either. Let’s take a closer look at what is present in most mouthwashes.• Almost all mouth washes contain a large amount alcohol and its really drying on the oral mucus membrane. The only way you can reduce the odor in your mouth is to kill the sulfur -producing organisms in your mouth. But most mouthwashes just dry out your mouth further exacerbating the problem.
• Almost every mouth wash contains a foaming ingredient which is universally used and is supposed to cause canker sores; this ingredient is called as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and is a prominent feature of almost every mouth wash.
• Saccharine is another really useless ingredient use to sweeten the product to make it more palatable.
• Some mouth washes also contain Sodium chlorate to oxygenate the mouth. But it does not work as well as it is supposed to inside the mouth so many countries have banned the use of it in their oral products.
• Benzalkonium Chloride is also commonly used as a preservative to preserve the ingredients in mouthwashes but recent research has proved that the ingredient has been though to cause allergic reactions.

Whew! That’s enough to put me off mouthwashes totally!