It is one of the most common diseases in the UK with over three quarters of adults suffering at some point in their life. It can be the source of great pain and has been linked to causing heart problems and even fatal heart attacks. Yet this problem is often ignored or dismissed as not being serious. Even more astonishingly, this disease is easily treated and in most cases completely preventable by taking a few easy steps each day.

Gum disease is often overlooked as a serious dental problem but dentists for years have been trying to emphasise the importance of looking after your gums as well as your teeth. Gum disease occurs when plaque and bacteria build up on the gums and begin to irritate the tissue. This ultimately leads to an infection that will cause redness, soreness and will spread quickly to other parts of the mouth. Because the soft tissue in the mouth is linked to the bloodstream, the infection can also easily pass into the blood and travel to other parts of the body. This can cause a narrowing of the arteries and ultimately lead to high blood pressure and heart issues.

Gum disease can be prevented easily by brushing and flossing your teeth more regularly and more effectively. Central London dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for at least three minutes twice a day using an appropriate brush. This will remove plaque and bacteria and keep the teeth and gums clean. It is also important to maintain your six-monthly appointments with your Central London dentist who will be able to monitor the gums for any sign of disease and offer the necessary treatment.

Dental pain caused by an infected tooth can be very unpleasant and at times excruciating. This is because dental infections happen when the tough outer part of the teeth is broken down exposing the very sensitive inner part of the tooth, which contains the dental nerve. This nerve will then be attacked by bacteria and infected matter, causing the sensation of pain.

Once a tooth is infected there are several ways of treating it depending on the severity of the infection. If the infection is caught and treated early it may be possible to treat with a course of antibiotics. At the other end of the scale, if the infection is so serious it can not be treated effectively, your City of London dentist may need to remove the tooth altogether.

However, in most cases this is not the case and the tooth can still be treated effectively using a root canal treatment. This involves the dentist drilling down into the heart of the tooth and removing any infected material. They will then clean the cavity before filling it and sealing the tooth with a dental crown. This will protect both the functionality and aesthetic quality of the tooth.

Root canal treatments have a very fearsome reputation, largely because of the pain associated with dental infections and because of the use of the dentists’ drill. In reality, the procedure brings an end to the horrible pain of dental infection and protects the teeth from further damage. It would seem that the root canal gets a slightly harsh treatment in the public consciousness and if carried out properly should be no more painful than a filling or any other standard dental procedure.

When we are young we are often told how important it is to clean our teeth everyday. Like anything we are told when we are young, we assume we know best and can often overlook the seriousness of the advice. When it comes to dental hygiene, the things we are told as children about looking after our teeth are absolutely true, as anyone who has suffered from dental decay will be able to tell you.

If you do not clean your teeth effectively each day with brushing and flossing, using the right kind of brush and tooth paste your teeth will come under attack form plaque and bacteria, which will gradually begin to erode the protective enamel layer around the outside of the teeth. When this layer has been breached, the more sensitive inner parts of the teeth are exposed to the bacteria which may cause infection. If the infection takes hold it can destroy the inner parts of the tooth and the dental nerve, which will ultimately lead to the tooth falling out and the possible spread of the infection. This whole process is called dental decay, and while very real and very unpleasant, is easily preventable with improved oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing will help to keep levels of plaque and bacteria low. This limits the damage that can be done by plaque and protects teeth.

It is also vitally important that you see a City of London dentist every six months so they can examine your teeth for the  signs of dental decay and offer any necessary treatment. By following these few simple steps just like you were told as a child you will be able to keep your teeth free from the pain and discomfort of dental decay.

Bleeding gums can occur for a number of reasons but for whatever reason it occurs it is never a pleasant experience and can even be quite frightening. The reasons for bleeding gums can range from the relatively innocuous to the very serious. The rule of thumb is that if your gums are bleeding you make an appointment with your London dentist to check it out.

The most common reason for bleeding gums and the most likely is thankfully the most harmless. It occurs when you have not been cleaning your teeth effectively and plaque and bacteria build up around their base. Then if you begin to make an extra effort to clean the teeth or begin to floss, the gums are a little sensitive and may bleed slightly. This will usually stop after day or so as they become used to the new cleaning regime. However, it is still worth seeing your dentist to be on the safe side.

Another reason for bleeding gums is the result of gum disease. This is when the gums develop an infection due to insufficient cleaning. Gum disease affects nearly three quarters of all adults at some stage in their life and is very easily treated if caught in time.

The most serious cause of bleeding gums is as the result of oral cancer, which is treatable at the early stage but will be fatal if not treated. It is for this reason that it is so important to have your bleeding gums seen to in case it is the sign of a serious illness. In most cases it will not be the result of oral cancer but you can never be too careful when it comes to the health of your teeth.

Bad Breath can be caused by many things, but the most common is a lax Oral Hygiene program says a City of London dentist. The problem is that most of people who suffer from this affliction are their own worst enemy, they have a lax approach to dental hygiene and it is this that is the main cause of the problem. However, help is at hand in the form of information that explains what exactly bad breath is. It is a culmination of activity in the mouth that produces acid and other material such as Tartar, the acid is made by bacteria feeding off the food pieces that get left behind. Too much sugar in our food is also a major cause of acid production, especially as too much sugar in the blood causes our saliva glands to stop working properly. A dry mouth is the bacteria`s best friend as it allows acid to become concentrated, it is this concentration that produces a by-product in the form of a bad odour. By just keeping our mouths free of food particles and watered throughout the day, will help keep that bad breath at bay. It is also important to floss, brush and rinse rigorously first and last thing. Keeping a tooth pick that doubles up as a floss stick with you, and using it each time you eat, will keep acid down all day as well. It isn`t enough to just clean our teeth twice a day anymore, there is far too many additives in our snacks and fast foods and these agitate the bad breath problem.

Sounds awful doesn’t it; A Root Canal. In times past it wasn’t even possible in many places, and if you could get one it was the most painful experience in most people`s life. Today is just a simple operation done under a painless local anaesthetic, you won`t even feel the needle going in your gums to deaden the tooth says a Central London dentist. Infections are caused by a lax oral hygiene routine or even in some cases a crack that allows bacteria to seep into the inner chamber of a tooth. Once in there bacteria will thrive and infect the tooth so badly that the pain is excruciating. Antibiotics will bring infections down and then a tooth can be extracted in most cases. However, to lose a tooth early isn’t a good thing and fixing the problem further can be very expensive. A root canal will in most cases fix the problem for good. The surgeon will drill out the inner enamel of the tooth; this leaves a hollow tooth that exposes the nerve and the inner chamber. The chamber is cleaned up of any infection and then it is cleaned further using an intense light source, this ensures that no bacteria is left to breed again. The hole is then sprayed with a coating of an anti-bacterial liquid and filled back up using a special mix of porcelain to compensate for the missing enamel. This is very hard wearing and acts better than natural enamel. That usually solves the problem and saves the tooth, so don`t be put off.

Tooth decay is the process by which teeth are broken down by a substance called plaque and are exposed to pain and infection. Tooth decay is caused by a number of factors but can be prevented fairly easily with improved oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist.

The first stage of tooth decay occurs when plaque, a substance rich in bacteria, gradually starts to erode the protective layer of tooth enamel that coats the teeth. This initially leads to dental cavities which, if not repaired either with a filling or a dental crown, will eventually penetrate to the centre of the tooth and allow an infection to damage the pulp and sensitive dental nerve. Tooth decay can be very painful as the dental nerves are extremely sensitive but it can also lead to wider health problems because oral infections are able to spread easily and even enter the bloodstream where they can affect the heart.

Brushing and flossing effectively at home removes plaque from the surfaces of the teeth and the small gaps between them and around the base. This limits the damaging potential of the plaque and cuts your chances of suffering from tooth decay. However, it is possible to suffer from tooth decay even if you practice oral hygiene to a high degree. This is the reason it is so important to see a Central London dentist every six months for a check up. Catching tooth decay in its earliest stages is very important for preventing further damage. The timely treatment of tooth decay could save you from a lot of pain and also the potential costs of dental treatment in the future. A half-hour appointment every six months could save you a lot of unnecessary suffering and expense so make an appointment to see your dentist today.

Everyone has heard the old saying that prevention is better than cure. This saying is often very true, especially when it comes to the health of your teeth and gums. Dental problems can range form being easily treatable to being very serious and cause for urgent treatment. However, in many cases, dental problems are caused by factors that can easily be prevented. These include tooth decay and gum disease, both of which can be virtually eliminated with improved oral hygiene.

The two main prongs or oral hygiene are brushing and flossing. Brushing the teeth is perhaps the most important defence against dental disease. Brushing removes plaque and bacteria that builds up on the surface of the teeth and gums. Using toothpaste, gently brush the teeth angling the brush towards the gums. This should be done for about three minutes, twice a day after eating. Ideally you should brush your teeth after every meal but this is not always convenient. London dentists recommend using a soft-bristled brush with a small head for maximum efficiency when cleaning.

After brushing comes flossing; this helps to remove bacteria from the areas between the teeth and around the base near the gums. These areas are very small and almost impossible to clean with a toothbrush. This means they can often be the most dangerous areas for the start of decay and disease. Flossing at least once a day will help to remove bacteria and also any trapped food, which may be the cause of bad breath.

However, even if you have a very strict oral hygiene routine, there is still no substitute for a regular dental check up at least every six months. This will ensure that the first signs of any decay or gum disease are identified and dealt with before they can become a problem.

Gum disease occurs when the gums come under attack from plaque and bacteria. Acid is released which begins to irritate the tissue and cause an inflammation. If this is not treated in time it can become infected, which poses a more serious problem.

In its milder form, gum disease is known as gingivitis, which can be treated with relative ease by a dentist and with improved oral hygiene. However, if the problem is allowed to persist it will eventually become periodontitis, a more dangerous form of the condition. In recent years several studies have identified a link between periodontitis and heart disease, one of the biggest killers in the UK.

The link occurs because infected matter in gum tissue enters the bloodstream. There it causes a chemical chain reaction which leads to a narrowing of the arteries and heart concerns. Treatment of periodontitis ranges from antibiotics to tissue removal and even hospitalisation.

The key symptoms of gum disease are swollen, red or inflamed gums, an unpleasant smell and bleeding gums. Gum disease can be prevented by maintaining regular check ups with a Central London dentist every six months.

In an age where heart disease is a very serious problem and affected by so many aspects of our modern life it is important to give yourself every possible chance of avoiding this very serious condition. Heart disease can result in high blood pressure, heart attacks and even fatalities. Ask your dentist for more information about the link between the two.

Looking after the health of your teeth and gums is very important. This is true, not only because this will keep your teeth and gums looking healthy but also because a healthy mouth is a good indicator of your overall health and any oral problems could be the result or even cause of wider health problems.

There are many mild and series dental problems that can affect the teeth and gums. Dental decay begins with small dental cavities in the surface enamel. Although easily treated, like with all dental problems, if left without attention it can quickly become something more serious. For instance, if the cavities penetrate to the centre of the tooth, they can cause an infection that will attack the dental nerve. This is not only pretty painful but can also result in the loss of the tooth and spread of the infection to others in the mouth.

It is a similar story with the gums. Constantly under attack from plaque and bacteria, it is not uncommon for the gums to become irritated and suffer from mild infections. Again, if the problem is addressed it can be easily cleared up but if left can lead to more serious concerns. This includes periodontitis, the most serious form of gum disease, characterised by bleeding gums and swollen tissue. This may well need treatment with antibiotics and even some tissue removal.

Bleeding gums can also be the sign of more serious concerns in the oral cavity including oral cancer so it is always wise to visit your Central London dentist if you notice that your gums are bleeding.