However much we try to take care of our teeth in London, at some point in our lives, tooth decay will form in our mouths. Tooth decays starts where bacteria is allowed to thrive in the mouth- feeding off foods and sugars that get stuck between our teeth and gums, and this decay can start to set in after only 24 hours of being in the mouth. It allows plaque and then tartar to build up around the teeth and then breaks down the enamel on the teeth- and it’s all down to poor hygiene. Mild forms of decay can be filled by a dentist- in this case, the decay has not affected the nerve, so the tooth is ok, but if the problem gets out of hand, and the decay is well advanced, more advanced restorative treatment is called for. If the nerve has been affected, a root canal may be required to remove the rotten pulp of the tooth, along with the nerves, and then the tooth is capped. In cases of a root canal, this tooth will only last, on average, a further 10 years. Worst, you could lose the tooth altogether well before this, and this can get expensive to replace, needing a bridge or to have implant fitted. Fluoride treatments and dental sealants can be used in the earl stages of the problem to help the fight, but if you need a crown, there are many to choose from, from porcelain to gold, depending on the functionality of the tooth. Essentially, you should find out from your dentist on how to fight tooth decay and the treatments available to combat the problem.

Children in the city of London are very vulnerable to tooth decay and it’s important to undertake all precautions possible to allow the teeth to develop healthily into adulthood. One of the best methods to combat the problem is the application of dental sealants. Designed more specifically for children, they are applied to the back teeth of a child, normally when the tooth has just erupted through the gums, to prevent acids and bacteria breaking down the natural enamel of the teeth. The procedure is almost pain free- the teeth will first be cleaned and then a roughing gel will be applied to aid the bonding of the sealant. This is simply brushed over the teeth and then cured with a heat lamp. Considering that most decay occurs on the chewing surface of the teeth, a dental sealant offers the perfect barrier between the tooth’s surface and any bacteria or plaque that may try to develop and once in place you’d hardly know that they are there, as they can be color coded to match the surrounding teeth. The sealant can work up to 5 years, during the all important development of a child’s teeth, offering the perfect protection and doesn’t need any extra care when cleaning- it’s brush and floss as normal.

A lot of braces and aligners that are fitted in central London these days are removable, which is great for maintaining a good program of oral hygiene. But if you’ve had the misfortune to be fitted with a fixed brace, extra care needs to be taken when cleaning the teeth and brace to remove all the foodstuffs that can promote a build up of bacteria. This can appear quite complex at first, but bacteria is accompanied by plaque and gum disease- followed by decay, so it’s imperative to get the cleaning right; the cleaning will get easier with time and practice. There is a whole program designed for those wearing fixed braces. It starts with the choice of brush and electric brushes are very good for working around wires and plates. But like all brushes, they will not remove foods that are lodged between gum and tooth. This job is down to small, interdental brushes and floss threaders that can be worked in and around the brace, and into the teeth. The choice of toothpaste is also important- some are designed to attack bacteria and plaque more fiercely than others, a perfect choice for the brace wearer. Of course, mouthwashes are priceless too, and are a perfect accompaniment to a good brush and paste. But there is another trick available to the brace wearer in the form of a dye that highlights any traces of plaque in the mouth. Finally, there’s the dentist, who will be able to clean the brace to when you visit.

If you suffer from halitosis in the city of London, there’s a good chance that you may be suffering from gum disease as well, for the causes of both these problems are very similar. Poor oral hygiene is the main offender- if foods are not removed from the mouth, pungent bacteria can build up, this not only leads to bad breath, but to gum disease as well. The saliva in the mouth works to remove this bacteria, but if there is not enough fluid to combat this, the mouth can become dry. It’s important to have a good diet and be aware of what foods are being put in the mouth; smoking and excessive drinking also add to the problem. A bad diet can lead to gastric problems and a breakdown of the immune system in the body, both of which can lead to gum disease and halitosis. As with anything of the body, prevention is better than cure, but if the problems have already set in, treatment is required from a dentist. Having either of these problems is not the end of the road, but treating them can mean a change in lifestyle and attention to detail when it comes to oral hygiene. Fixing gum disease can also be expensive and is not reversible- but it can be prevented from spreading and by reducing it you can reduce one of the causes of halitosis.

If you have a tooth missing and are considering getting it replaced in the city of London, or are having problems with your dentures slipping around, you may like to consider having a dental implant fitted to help you with the dilemma. Implants are used for a number of dental procedures these days and with radical advances in implant methods mean that they are easier and quicker than ever to fit, and are considered to be as strong and as efficient as the root they replace. They also help maintain a healthy mouth; a missing tooth can lead to movement in the remaining teeth, house unwanted bacteria and lead to gum disease. If you are considering having one for a bridge or just to house a single tooth, it’s a pretty straight forward operation, thanks to modern micro surgery and protein healing agents. The implant is screwed into the jawbone through the gum and allowed to heal, before a temporary tooth or bridge is attached so that the gums can mature. Then the new fixture can be set in the mouth. In the case of dentures, mini implants can be fitted in a day by the same process. Once they are in, the dentures simply click onto the implants, holding the dentures strong and true in the mouth and combined with a fixative, there will be no embarrassing moments with your teeth falling out over dinner. The cost for an implant has dropped considerably- some coming in for as little as £400, though that is the implant alone, you then have to take into account the cost of the other work required. Mini’s cost far less

Oral hygiene should fit into your regime in London as importantly as anything else in your life, for it can have very serious implications to your overall health, let alone your bank balance in the long run. If you have any doubts about how you should care for your teeth, the first point of contact should be your dentist (for a check up anyway!). Every mouth is different as are most people’s constitution, so your dentist can advise you on what is best for you. Your choice of toothpaste and brush are the important tools to start with and sometimes this can be a little bit of trial and error to get right at first. Mouthwashes are also useful to have in the bathroom cabinet as they help to fight plaque and tartar. Dental floss and tiny brushes are very good for getting into areas that general brushing misses. Yet, along with these obvious products, it’s also helpful to plan ahead for any crisis that may arise. There is no harm in having a few herbal remedies such tea tree, Echinacea, clove or aloe vera oils lying around the house- all of which can be used with general products anyway, but along with painkillers, they are great for soothing any discomfort that may crop up. Of course, it’s quite important what you put in your mouth too. Smoking, heavy drinking and poor diet can reduce the immune system and allow gum disease to have its wicked way in your mouth. And lest we forget, all this information is readily available on-line so, do a little research yourself and keep your mouth healthy.

Brushing your teeth is one of the most important ways of looking after your teeth as it removes plaque and keeps the teeth free from debris and food particles which attract bacteria and lead to enamel erosion and dental decay. As well as brushing the teeth it is also advised that you floss at least once a day to get to the areas that are hard to reach for a regular toothbrush.

When choosing a toothbrush, dentists recommend using a brush with soft bristles as this removes more plaque and bacteria. Hard bristled brushes can also can also over-stimulate the gums and cause the erosion of gum tissue. Once this tissue has been removed it cannot be restored and will leave the teeth exposed and looking uneven.

As well as having soft bristles, it is also advised that you use a brush with a small head as this will allow you to reach more areas of the mouth. This is important because it is often in these areas where plaque and bacteria build up the most and cause the most damage over time.

You should hold the brush at a forty-five degree angle which and use a small circular motion which will both remove plaque form the teeth and also stimulate the gums keeping them free from gum disease. Central London dentists recommend that you brush the teeth twice a day for at least three minutes. This will be sufficient to keep the teeth clean, although you should also keep up your six monthly check up appointments with the dentist to ensure that no other problems are developing in the harder to reach areas. Catching dental problems early is the key to successful treatment.

You can be forgiven for being confused about the nature of fluoride as there is a lot of misinformation going around, especially on the internet that causes the problem of confusion. It can also make it very hard to know which advice to follow. For example, some toothpastes contain fluoride and depending on what website you have looked at this can either be good for the teeth because it hardens them or bad for the teeth as well as the rest of the body. It is also important to remember that fluoride is added to many water supplies so there must be a reason for using it in the first place.

Fluoride certainly does harden the teeth and make them stronger against plaque and bacteria. However, it is true that fluoride can damage children’s teeth if used too early in their lives. Dentists advise against giving children any kind of fluoride as it can lead to damage and discolouration later in life. Therefore you should always check with your London dentist before letting your child use any kind of fluoride product.

Your London dentist will also be the best person to ask about the levels of fluoride in the water and how this might affect your teeth. They can also advise which toothpastes are suitable for your teeth. Once the teeth are fully developed they can certainly benefit from small amounts of fluoride. The decision to add fluoride to the water supply has seen a dramatic reduction in the rate of dental cavities over the years. Although this might have had an adverse affect on a small number of patients’ teeth in the long run it has been very beneficial to the health of the public’s teeth.

Sometimes after a dental operation there can be side effects or health consequences that you need to be aware of. One of the most common is called dry socket and will require treatment from your Central London dentist. Dry sockets occur when teeth have been extracted and blood clots form in the hole left by the missing tooth. If for any reason this clot gets washed away then it can leave the sensitive area and even the bone exposed to bacteria found in the mouth. I’m sure you don’t need to be told to imagine the wider health consequences this could have for the health of your mouth. Certain factors make patients more susceptible to dry sockets. These include smoking, diabetes and female patients who are using birth control medication.

One of the main symptoms of dry sockets is pain. This will initially occur around the area of the missing tooth but can quickly spread to other areas of the mouth if not treated quickly. This pain is often very severe and can’t be controlled with over-the-counter medication. The other main symptoms are a very bad taste in the mouth and having bad breath as a result of the infection that develops.

It is always, therefore, a good idea to keep an eye on any areas that have been the sight of a recent extraction or other dental surgery. If you suspect that you may be suffering, you need to make an appointment as soon as possible with your dentist. They will take an x-ray to examine for any signs of infection and then treat the area according to your needs.

However, the best way to avoid dry sockets is to make sure that your teeth are clean and in good condition before any kind of dental surgery. This can significantly reduce the chances of suffering.

If you knew that you could protect your body from disease and infection by spending just a few minutes each day carrying out a simple cleaning routine you would definitely do it, and you’d make sure to be thorough. But that is the case with your teeth yet millions of adults in the UK suffer from dental and periodontal disease each year with serious health consequences both for the teeth and gums and the body as a whole.

Cleaning your teeth really is a simple matter of following your City of London dentist’s advice and they will be free from disease and decay-causing plaque and bacteria. The most potent force against these nasty substances is brushing the teeth. This involves brushing for about three minute twice a day (or after every meal if convenient). This will remove the plaque that builds up on the surface of the teeth and prevent decay. Dentists recommend that you use a brush with a small head for maximum reach and also angle the brush at forty-five degrees to the gums. This will help to stimulate them and keep them free from painful gum disease.

As well as brushing, it is also important to floss at least once a day. This gets to the areas too small for a regular toothbrush such as between the teeth and around their base. Food particles can get trapped in these areas and act as breeding grounds for bacteria. Your dentist will be able to show you how to floss properly for maximum cleanliness.

As well as this it is necessary to see a dentist every six months for a check up to ensure that your dental hygiene routine is going according to plan and you are not suffering from any plaque build up.