London cosmetic dentistry

Posts Tagged ‘Bacteria’

Unique new dental products in London stores

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

103.jpgKeeping your teeth can be pretty boring. All dentists say brush your teeth two times daily and don’t forget to floss at least once a week, right? But what if you had yet more different and unique products to use to clean your teeth rather than boring old toothpastes and dental floss?
London specialty stores as well as online stores are now offering one of kind specialty dental products to suit your every need. I did find a few really weird and a few really useful but do use them with caution as we don’t really have the scientific basis or proof of thee new products.1. Melaleuca Tooth Polish- Really weird toothpaste which contains tea tree oil. Now I do know that tea tree oil is a great antiseptic is really effective in controlling bacteria but the taste is really nauseous and made me throw up. And to add to that no one in my family agreed to use the toothpaste due to the disgusting taste and color of the toothpaste. I’m now stuck with three pairs of this really revolting herbal toothpaste .Any taker out there?
2. Fresh Umbrian Clay Toothpaste. Hellooooooooo, was the marketing department sleeping while making this product? Who one earth will use mud or clay in their mouth can you just imagine the taste? The box does say that it’s flavored with lemon and wild mint extracts for a refreshing feeling. OHH, I guess that makes it alright then!!!!!!!!!! Not for me any way!!!!!!!!

A few more really nasty one waiting in the wings so keep in touch guys!

Londoners, Change Your Toothbrush Periodically

Sunday, April 13th, 2008

You must have heard your dentist telling you to get rid of bxp37978.jpgyour toothbrush after every three months. Well they are truly right in saying that. The reason is that the worn-out toothbrushes no longer care for your teeth and can cause serious infections.
Dentists in London have been focused to make sure that every individual gets the best care. For long they are educating people to take care of their toothbrushes and to change them every three months. “It is better to change before they wear out.”
To name a few organisms that can remain on toothbrushes, grow and cause infection are streptococcus mutans, candida albicans, herpes simplex virus, etc. These organisms directly threat children and adults who already have dental or oral problems, serious medical ailments or are immunocompromised.
Now the question arises as to how we can protect toothbrushes from such contamination. One is to change our toothbrushes every three months. As when toothbrushes wear out, they allow growth of organisms. This is recommended for healthy individuals. On the other hand, people who are sick must replace it as soon as possible.
Do not store your toothbrushes in a damp environment as it provides a breeding ground for the organisms to grow. You can store them in a dry environment where there is good aeration. Label the toothbrushes so as to avoid sharing.
Another important aspect is to disinfect the toothbrushes on a daily basis. You can disinfect them by placing them overnight in a solution of sodium hypochlorite, which is also known as household bleach.
Then the next morning dry them and place them in a well aerated environment in a plastic container. Taking these steps will definitely help you maintain proper cleaning and maintenance of your toothbrushes, which will in turn keep you and your family healthy.

London waiting for Lollipops

Saturday, March 1st, 2008

08313151738_herbal-orange-lollipops-new1.jpgWithin no time, we London citizens would be licking lollipops daily. It is going to take up a position in our daily purchase list, not that we all love candies, but due to its ability to kill germs. Thanks to the now famous microbiologist Wenyuan Shi from UCLA who came up with his herbal lollipop, which help us kill the major culprit of tooth decay, streptococcus mutans. Mr. Shi and his team have developed a special candy infused with natural ingredients developed from licorice, which help fight the primary bacterium responsible for dental caries. This candy is now marketed by a candy manufacturer who got license from UCLA and has now started manufacturing this orange-flavoured candy. As it is sugar-free, diabetics can also use.

Dr. Shi had started his research 8 years ago with a vision of finding major pathogen causing dental decay and finding a ‘smart bomb’ to kill them without destroying the good bacteria in the oral cavity. With this vision, he travelled all over China and collected hundreds of herbs with bioactivity and potential for developing his dream product. He conducted more than 9600 experiments for this purpose, before arriving at this product. Now the manufacture who got license from UCLA has started marketing this product, “Dr. John’s Herbal Candy” from his Grand Rapids’ factory. It does not contain any sugar, fat, salt, or preservatives. This candy’s major ingredient is HSH (Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates), which is a sweetener that doesn’t get metabolised by oral bacteria and hence doesn’t cause any plaque formation. Its caloric value is lesser than sugar, about 75% and hence does not increase the blood glucose level significantly. An extract of licorice root is used in this candy, which gives a scientific explanation to chewing of licorice root, scientifically named Glycyrrhiza uralensis. It is found that licorice root extract is effective against Helicobacter pylori too, a pathogen associated with development of gastric ulcer.

In another development, some researchers in Germany have found the effectiveness of lactobacillus, the bacteria present in yogurt in controlling streptococcus mutans in mouth. These streptococci are the pathogens causing dental decay by clumping on to teeth and producing acid, which breaks down the enamel of teeth. An experimental chewing gum containing lactobacillus was effective in controlling the growth of staphylococcus mutans. So, now on don’t wait, go and take a lollipop or chewing gum and relish the taste with added protection to your teeth and expect more such products in this line in London supermarkets.