Nearly 9 out of 10 adults suffer from gum disease at some stage in their life, which means it is very important to look after your teeth properly. Dentists always recommend that you brush and floss twice a day, every day and have check up appointments every six months. But the statistics would suggests that we are probably not good at heeding this advice we have probably heard hundreds of times throughout our lives. This makes it doubly important to start looking after your teeth and encouraging your children to do the same for life of good dental health.

Brushing your teeth twice a day for three minutes helps to remove plaque, the filmy substance responsible for tooth decay and gum disease. If allowed to remain, plaque releases acids, which gradually erode the protective layer of tooth enamel and irritate gum tissue. This will eventually lead to infection in both instances, the cause of more complicated and painful dental problems.

Central London dentists recommend that you use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head so that you can reach more areas of the mouth without causing any damage to the gums. Try and brush your teeth with the brush at a forty-five degree angle to the gums in order to effectively clean them.

Flossing is almost as important as brushing as it removes plaque and decaying food from small areas between the teeth and around their base. By doing these two oral hygiene tasks well each day and seeing the dentist regularly, and most importantly, sticking to it, you will be protecting your teeth for many years to come.

Looking after your children’s teeth is very important, not just for the present but also to ensure that they develop good oral hygiene habits for the rest of their life. Everybody wants the best for their kids but by ignoring their dental welfare you may be unknowingly setting them up for a lifetime of painful and costly dental problems.

Looking after a young child’s teeth is very much up to the parents. This will involve brushing and flossing your child’s teeth for them, but as they get older it s vital you show them the proper ways to brush and floss and stress the importance of healthy without going too far. Try to encourage your child to brush correctly. Never try and force them or make them brush their teeth because this can build up resentment. Make the activity fun or reward them for doing it well. This way the correct methods will become natural.

Take your children to the dentist early to reassure them that there is nothing to be scared about. Most dental phobias stem from an incident in childhood when a child was afraid at the dentist. You may also want to ask you London dentist about fluoride. In some areas it is necessary to supplement your child’s fluoride intake as water supplies vary, but make sure you seek advice first as an excess of fluoride can cause discolouration of enamel later in life.

Your role as a parent is very important to your child’s dental health so if there is ever anything you are unsure about or are having difficulty caring for your child’s teeth, your dentist is always available to give advice and support.

Gum disease is the inflammation and infection of the gum tissue that anchors teeth to the jaw. It is a very common condition affecting nearly half of all adults but it can be treated easily if caught early by a dentist or dental hygienist.

The two main types of gum disease are gingivitis and the more serious periodontitis. Gingivitis is when the gums are attacked by plaque built up after eating. Plaque can be removed by correct brushing and flossing and can also be removed in harder forms by the dentist. Periodontitis follows on from gingivitis and causes infections in pockets where the gum has begun to come away from the tooth. It causes gum tissue to die and shrink away from the tooth exposing sensitive areas of the teeth and causing decay. Periodontitis is not reversible, as gum tissue cannot be made to grow back.

Symptoms of gum disease include sore or irritated gums and occasional bleeding, and shrinking tissue in more serious cases. It can be treated by a process called scaling or in cases of periodontitis by gum surgery. However, the best form of treatment is prevention. Keeping teeth and gums clean and free from plaque helps to prevent gum disease in the first instance and regular visits to a Central London dentist can help to tackle the first signs of any problems. Dentists or hygienists can also show you the correct way to brush and floss that will keep your gums disease free.

Regardless of how often you brush and floss your teeth, plaque will still build up and proliferate in your mouth. Unfortunately, if you do not visit a dental hygienist on a regular basis, plaque can form tartar beneath the gum line, as well as cause other problems. That said, if you have your teeth professionally cleaned by a London dental hygienist, you can have peace of mind knowing that you can reduce your chances of developing gum disease and other oral issues.

Today, many people mistakenly believe that a hard toothbrush and tartar fighting mouthwash will prevent an unsightly buildup. In most cases, a hard toothbrush will only damage your gums and leave an even bigger opening for plaque to get into. At the same time, tartar fighting products may not work as well as they claim to work. That said, you may still be tempted to try and use these products instead of addressing the issue with a professional dental cleaning.

As you may be aware, a hygienist has access to a number of tools that you do not have. For example, he/she can make use of sonic instruments that will disrupt tartar from the surface of your teeth. Even if you have a slight film of tartar, these instruments will remove it with a minimal amount of difficulty. Aside from this, a dental hygienist will be able to reach areas that you may not be able to get to with your own resources.

When you have your teeth cleaned by a hygienist, they will look and feel wonderful. Typically, if you combine professional cleaning with good oral hygiene and a healthy diet, you will have a minimal amount of dental issues. While it may take some effort now, at least you will be able to enjoy healthy teeth and optimal well being for the rest of your life.

Many Londoner’s have gum disease (gingivitis) and don’t even know that they have it until it becomes more severe and begins to cause problems for them. Gingivitis occurs as a result of bacteria, their end-products, and dental plaque; cause the gums to become inflamed. Several signs of gingivitis are; swollen and bleeding gums, gum redness, temperature, or visible pus oozing from around the If gingivitis is caught early enough it can be treated and reversed. However, if this is not the case, more severe problems will arise including, periodontal disease with oral bone loss, and even tooth loss.
When you visit your London dentist, they will perform a complete intra-oral examination of you, complete with x-Rays and periodontal charting to look for signs of gingivitis or periodontitis. Your dentist will review the results of the oral examination, and if it turns out that you do in fact have gingivitis, a treatment plan will be discussed with you on how to best proceed. First and foremost, if you are experiencing pain due to your symptoms, these will be addressed first. Prevention is first and foremost. Your London dentist and dental hygienist will teach you how to brush and floss your teeth properly, and you should have regular dental check-ups, and professional cleanings at least twice a year. You may also be referred to a periodontist (i.e., a gum specialist) for treatment of your gingivitis and periodontitis. Your gingivitis will be treated using; scaling and root planning, antibiotics, and possibly gum surgery.