Nowhere is it more true that prevention is better than cure, than when it comes to dental health. Unlike the rest of the body where disease and illness can affect you regardless of your lifestyle, your dental health depends more or less entirely on your standards of oral hygiene. Whilst it may not seem that important to keep your mouth clean, ask any sufferer of gum disease or tooth decay and they will tell you the pain and stress caused by these conditions are a very serious business.

Dentists advise that you brush your teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening before bed, using a brush with appropriate bristles for your teeth. They also advise that patients floss at least once a day. This is crucial to maintaining a good standard of oral hygiene which can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

If teeth are not correctly brushed, a filmy substance called plaque builds up around them. Plaque is full of bacteria, which attack the enamel of the teeth, breaking it down and causing cavities. If a cavity penetrates to the root of the tooth, it will erode the pulp and eventually lead to a painful infection. This can spread to other parts of the mouth and will eventually lead to tooth loss. Bacteria in the mouth can also cause painful gum disease, also know as gingivitis, which is an infection of the gums. This can cause gums to bleed and bacteria to enter the bloodstream and spread to other areas of the body.

The mouth is one of the dirtiest places on the human body, with over 500 million bacteria calling it their home. If it is not properly cleaned this bacteria will thrive in these perfect conditions causing all of the above problems and more.

It is also important to note that nearly 90 per cent of cases of bad breath are caused by poor standards of oral hygiene, particularly a lack of flossing, which helps to remove food particles from between the teeth. If left, these particles break down releasing foul smelling sulphurous compounds which cause bad breath. So not only are good standards of hygiene important for health, but also for your social life. A London dentist will be able to offer advice on how best to maintain good oral hygiene and prevent a whole range of painful and costly dental procedures.

Bleeding gums caused by poor dental hygiene can end up causing heart disease according to health professionals.

People who don’t brush their teeth correctly, or who don’t floss regularly enough, often suffer from bleeding gums. It is thought that this might provide an entry to the bloodstream for the hundreds of millions of bacteria that call your mouth their home. This could result in an increased chance of heart disease and even a heart attack.

The mouth is one of the dirtiest places in the human body when it comes to bacteria. Allowing the bacteria into your blood stream from the mouth can be very dangerous. Once in the blood it sticks to the platelets, the cells responsible for coagulating to heal cuts and wounds. Once bacteria have attached themselves to the platelets it can cause blood vessels to become blocked which is obviously bad for the heart.

The only treatment for this kind of bacterial blockage is an aggressive course of antibiotics. But as bacteria become ever more resistant to modern antibiotic medicines this form of treatment is becoming less and less effective.

The one sure-fire way of beating this form of heart disease is prevention. Maintaining a healthy standard of oral hygiene can limit the number of dangerous bacteria in the mouth and ensure that they have no pathway into the bloodstream. Dentists in Central London recommend brushing teeth at least twice a day to help prevent the build up of plaque, the filmy substance around the teeth that is the breeding ground for bacteria. Flossing at least once a day can also help to destroy plaque, and kill bacteria.

Inadequate brushing or flossing can lead to cavities or gum disease (gingivitis) which can cause weakened gums to bleed and recede. Shutting this door once and for all could save your life and help you have a healthy heart, and for a few extra minutes a day, that really can’t be bad.

Next to brushing, flossing is the most important method of maintaining healthy teeth and good oral hygiene. Millions of bacteria can live in the gaps between your teeth, especially on particles of food that are lodged there. Flossing is crucial in removing these particles that are breeding grounds for nasty bacteria which can cause tooth decay, bad breath and other assorted oral health problems.

If these areas are not regular cleaned the bacteria will eventually produce acid, which will eat into tooth enamel and cause cavities. It will also produce foul smelling sulfurous compounds which are the major cause of embarrassing bad breath.

The bacteria live in a substance called plaque, which is made up of mucus and other debris. Brushing can get rid of plaque but often misses harder to reach places such as between the teeth and below the gumline. Flossing regularly can ensure that these harder to reach areas are kept clean and prevent the build up of plaque.

If plaque is not removed by brushing or flossing it will eventually harden into a substance called tartar which can only be removed by a dentist. If tartar is left to build up it can produce nasty toxins which can cause gingivitis, a disease that causes painful irritation of the gums. Eventually, this can lea to the erosion of the bone structure that hold the teeth in place and will result in tooth loss. There is a also evidence to suggest that flossing regularly can prevent oral cancer and other cancer in the body.

The American Dental Association recommends flossing the teeth at least once a day. For advice on how to floss your teeth properly consult your London dentist who can show you how to protect your smile for a lifetime.

Oral hygiene is very crucial to oral health maintenance. At your London Dental Clinic, the dental hygienist will teach you how to properly care for your teeth and gums. Good oral hygiene practices should begin at a very early age, and a dental hygienist will demonstrate proper teeth and gum brushing, and also flossing. Then they will watch you brush and floss, and aid you in making any changes in your brushing and flossing routines. Plaque is the sticky material on your teeth that needs to be removed every day, at least twice a day. You should have a set of goals for yourself that include keeping your mouth clean, odourless, and healthy. Proper oral hygiene will help to prevent cavities, gum problems, and periodontal disease. The dental hygienist will also review your diet and obtain a dental caries index, and make some suggestions about your diet and habits that you may need to look at. So, visit your London Dental Clinic to learn how to perform proper oral health.

Here are some pointers. Use a soft or medium bristled toothbrush. Hold your brush so that it is comfortable in your hand. Place a small amount of toothpaste on the brush, wet it, and place it against your teeth and gum at a 45 degree angle, and move it back and forth in a vibrating motion. Make sure that you brush all of your teeth on both the outsides and insides. The brush should be held in a vertical position to brush your front teeth on the insides. Then scrub the biting surfaces of your teeth, and floss your teeth (even behind your last teeth, as plaque also forms there). Brush for at least 2 minutes at a time and at least twice daily.

The dental hygienist is a very integral part of the London treatment team. They help you to keep your mouth healthy. They are specially trained to clean your gums, and guide you in the prevention of dental caries and gum disease. Proper oral hygiene is the foundation of keeping your mouth healthy. Good oral hygiene needs to be addressed from a very early age, and our hygienists are very kind and work all age groups. During your initial visit to the hygienist, they will perform an intraoral examination of your mouth, and chart any gum irregularities and tooth decay. The dentist will then re-perform the examination as a double check. That way our dental team is sure that nothing is missed. The hygienist will then get the go ahead to clean your teeth and gums. Depending on the extent of your dental plaque/calculus, this could take one or two visits.

The dental hygienist, will also show you how to keep your teeth and gums clean, and your mouth healthy. They will evaluate your brushing and flossing methods, and help you to make any needed adjustments. This way you can help to remove plaque bacteria from your mouth, and maintain good oral health. Plaque is that sticky material that adheres to your teeth. The goals are to keep your mouth clean, odourless, and healthy. More specifically, to prevent further problems in your mouth due to dental caries, gum disease, and periodontal disease. The dental hygienist will also review any necessary dietary changes and lifestyle changes that need to be addressed. Therefore, it is important for you to make an appointment and come in and see our dental hygienists and dentists here in London.

Gum disease is as prevalent in London, as it in the U.S. Gum disease, or gingivitis, happens when bacteria and dental plaque create an inflammatory response in the gums that cannot be protected by the body’s personal immune reaction. Clinical symptoms of gum disease consist of localized redness, swelling, bleeding, heat and/or visible pus in the area of the mouth that is infected. Gum disease can be categorized into two different types: 1) gum disease that is influenced by local factors (e.g., bacteria and plaque), and 2) gum disease that is influenced by local factors, and modified by host influences. Gum disease is reversible if caught and treated soon enough. However, if left untreated, gum disease can progress to periodontal disease (i.e., periodontitis). Gum disease is classified as periodontal disease once there is loss of tooth attachment to the surrounding tissues, e.g., periodontal ligament, gums, and/or oral bone.
The bacteria that are responsible for causing gum disease and periodontal disease, are usually those that are classified as anaerobic (i.e., they do not like oxygen). These bacteria release an abundance of detrimental by-products, and these by-products cause an inflammatory reaction. Periodontitis can cause loss of periodontal tissue, formation of periodontal pocket(s), tooth loss, which can go unnoticed until its later stages when pain occurs due to abscesses, bleeding gums, and/or bad breath. Your diet can also be affected by gum disease, due to your inability to eat without pain.
There are several treatment options and combinations of treatments that can help to both prevent and treat gum disease. You should be brushing and flossing your teeth regularly to remove any bacteria and plaque on your teeth. You should also visit your dentist regularly in order to receive regular examinations that can identify gum disease, and to also receive regular teeth cleanings and teeth scaling as needed. If your dentist recognizes a severe gum problem, you will most likely be referred to a periodontist (i.e., a gum specialist). If your gum disease has progressed, further scaling and root planning may be required, along with the correct antibiotic regimen(s), and possibly gum and oral bone surgery. So, make sure you take care of your gums.

London dentists say that “dental caries can be prevented by good oral hygiene and regular professional care, and can be effectively treated by adequate brushing and flossing of the teeth and by the use of fluoride based oral care products.” Mouth rinses, gels, and toothpastes, when used in conjunction with toothbrushing and flossing, are probably adequate to deliver the needed preventive measures. If the carious lesion reaches the underlying dentin layer of the tooth the dentist in London will treat it. The dentist will place a filling (amalgam or composite) to restore proper functioning of the tooth.
The role of fluoride in caries prevention has been extensively documented. The decrease in dental caries that occurs after adding fluoride to the water supply is by and large accredited to the fluoride molecule being substituted for hydroxyl molecules in the tooth enamel, forming fluorapatite in the place of hydroxyapatite. Fluorapatite is less acid soluble than hydroxyapatite, causing enamel to demineralise more slowly when under attack by plaque. Fluoride containing enamel also remineralises more quickly between the times it is being bombarded with sugar. This does not explain all of the mechanisms of action of fluoride.
More recently the spotlight has shifted to deleterious effect on fluoride on tooth development. The prevalence of fluorosis in infants and young children is increasing. The increase in fluorosis among infants and children in both fluoridated and non-fluoridate communities has led to the following recommendations: 1) the use of low-fluoride water in infant formulas; 2) adult supervision of children during brushing; and 3) rigid fluoride application standards when administering fluoride supplements to children. Nonetheless, community water supply fluoridation is the most effective way to prevent dental caries.
When neutral 1.0% sodium fluoride was used on a daily basis by high risk adults (i.e., those with mouth dryness after jaw carcinoma radiation), the finding was minimal to zero dental caries. Children, aged five to six years were treated with 1.2% F- fluoride gel versus a placebo gel twice daily, and the children receiving fluoride showed approximately 40% caries reduction when compared to the placebo group after a 2 year period; S mutans (the bacteria that causes decay) were also lower. Thorough cleaning with the fluoride paste significantly reduced the streptococci (sanguis, mitis, and mutans), preventing colonization of these bacteria. Higher fluoride paste doses (i.e., 5%) instantly stop these bacteria. Also interesting, is that fluoride levels of 1-5 ppm stopped oral streptococci at low pH levels. These doses are commonly found in people using fluoridated oral care products and/or fluoridated water. For more in depth prevention measures, visit your London dentist!

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.

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.

I’m always ready to admit that I’m the eternal skeptic but this really blows my mind here! Can holistic dentistry really be good for the patient or is it just another scam dreamed up by savvy practioners to milk you out of your hard earned money? I don’t really know but I usually carry a healthy disbelief in any thing new so I decided its time to research this new fad thoroughly before it takes the world and London by storm! Here’s what I learned!• Dentists who practice the “holistic” or “biological” type of dentistry claim that the body can be moved away form the state of disease by making sure that the body is perfectly healthy and well. If the body remains healthy there will be no cavities.
• Many dentist may use useless and difficult to understand tests like badly chosen diagnostic tests, prescriptions for costly dietary supplements or even homeopathic products, some may even recommend a plastic bite appliance, removal of perfectly good amalgam fillings as well as the removal of perfectly good root-canal-treated teeth.
• A few really dubious tests which can be done are hair analysis, or a detailed dietary analysis, several blood chemistry screening tests as well as muscle strength testing. None of these tests are recommended for use with dentists and some of them are not even recognized by scientists as legitimate.
• A few hundred dentists also claim mercury filings are toxic can cause health problems like sclerosis, headaches, chronic diseases, as well as mental and emotional stress. Some times they recommend removal of these fillings and replacements with other filing materials.