We all buy Oral Care products and we all use them, but just how good are they and do they really do what they claim to do asks a London dentist. Most of the products we buy these days will contain the usual suspects, so to speak, these are chemicals that claim to cure our oral hygiene problems. The truth in some cases is that many of these products actually do more harm than good, and we should really look at natural ways to keep our teeth and breath fresh and clean. Sucking on mints will just load your mouth with sugar or some kind of artificial sweeteners, these will in the long term help to breed bacterium which will in turn produce acid, acid that will eat away at your teeth enamel and cause you tooth loss and infections. This is all because we think that sucking a mint will cure our bad breath. Mouth washes will contain chemicals that are suppose to neutralise the bacterium that causes bad breath, however all they`ll usually do is to give your mouth a minty wash out and remove bacterium that ordinary tap water will remove anyway. All water contains the natural element Fluoride, this is an alkaline element that will kill off bacterium and stop acid from eating away your teeth enamel. Many tooth pastes claim to whiten your teeth, this can only be accomplished if you spend a lot of hours grinding away the discolouration. There are no strong chemicals in tooth paste that can bleach your teeth. Bleaching is a tried and tested method of teeth whitening. Most tooth pastes that claim this contain an abrasive that will just take off your top layer of enamel if you use it enough times. The best way to clean breath and healthy teeth is flossing, brushing and constant water washes, especially at night when the saliva glands stop working

Now, this got me really reeling! It’s been a long established fact by the dental profession that fluoride and fluoridated products are really good for teeth. According to the old school of research, fluoride was readily absorbed by the outer surface of teeth called as enamel to make a really hard coating .This made the tooth stronger and more resistant to cavities. But a few theories floating around the internet are giving me second thoughts! Fluoride’s anti cavity properties have made it popular enough to be added to mouthwashes, toothpastes, as well as the water supply of nearly 47 states of the US since the 1940’s.But the story behind the discovery of fluoride is really surprising. A few years ago, fluoride was one of the most dangerous by products of the explosive, fertilizers and aluminum industry. It was produced in excess and extremely difficult to store and dispose. A single scientist, working for the American Aluminum Company, was credited with discovering these so called beneficial effects of the fluoride. The American Aluminum Company was at the time one of the biggest manufactures of fluoride as the waste by product.

Kinda seems fishy!

Are you alone and pregnant in London? Wondering how you can protect your teeth better? Pregnancy is a state where your body is vulnerable physically and mentally. Lots of changes happen in your body. Emotions, weight and hormones work together creating weird but necessary cocktail of materials required to keep your baby healthy. Your body will be focusing on nurturing and caring and sharing of your baby’s growth within. As a result your body’s immune system gets slightly overloaded.It is possible for formation of pregnancy tumors to take place which look like red, raspberry colored lesions. It’s nothing to worry about but if you don’t take care of the plaque formation on your teeth then it rapidly increases in size. Prevention is the best solution and keep your gum area and teeth clean by brushing and flossing.

If you are suffering from morning sickness along with your pregnancy you should be extra cautious. The acids in the stomach can destroy your teeth’s enamel to cause a chalky white ring at your gum line. It can even cause cavities along the gum line. Keep a careful eye on these lesions and get them filled at the earliest opportunityMake it a practice to clean your teeth at the dentist in every four months. Take a little time more to clean your teeth gently. You can even use a fluoride rinse to prevent formation of cavities.

“It is still not clear as to the benefits of fluoride on teeth can outweigh the harmful effect of the same on the brain by drinking fluoride-excess water,” reports the Institute for Children’s Environmental Health.”Fluoride is supplemented in tap water to reduce problems of tooth decay; however, it should be noted that there is ample fluoride in tooth supplements and products and a majority of foods and beverages are also rich in fluorine,” remarks a dentist based in London.

He further emphasizes that studies showed poor neurological development and deficient IQ in those children that born to mothers with poor maternal thyroid levels due to high ingestion of fluoride. Since the routes of excess fluoride ingestion are many it is very important to ascertain as to what level of toxicity will lead to poor IQ and other learning and developmental disabilities in children. Several organizations raise their voice to contain fluoridation of water so it can reduce ingestion of fluoride by some extent.

Children born neurological deficits such as attention deficit disorder, autism etc due to the toxic fluoride ingestion by their respective mothers challenge the entire dentists’ community who are of the opinion that fluoride is good for teeth hitherto and ask them to retrospect the same.

The National Research Council that has reviewed the effects of fluoride toxicology reported there is persuasive evidence of fluoride excess on brain functioning.

We all know that Fluoride is an essential mineral for dental health. However, intake of this trace mineral in higher doses could affect our teeth adversely. The toxic condition developed due to its increased intake is referred to as fluorosis, which could be due to large amounts of fluorine in your drinking water or in your diet. Generally, it affects your permanent teeth. In London, fluorosis is comparatively a rare condition than caries teeth because most of the citizens use non-fluoridated drinking water, and hence it is very unlikely that we would get exposure to high levels of fluorides. Fluorides help to prevent dental decay and its deficiency causes teeth to be prone to early development of caries. Therefore, in London, it has been added to toothpastes and mouth washes for years with good control of dental caries. Here only a small percentage of  population get fluoridated water supply and natural fluoride in water is seen only in very few places. Hence, fluoridation of public water supply would be the easiest method for the benefit of those deprived of this mineral naturally. The recommended standard limit of fluoride in water is 1ppm (parts per million) and above which, it is not good for general health. However, higher ppms of fluoride could be seen naturally at some shallow water bodies in rural areas where people are at risk of developing fluorosis or toxicity. Fluorosis generally affects children below the age of 8, before the development of permanent teeth. If children are exposed to high levels of fluoride during the formative years of their teeth, they are at high risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis. Excessive fluoride causes white spots or flecks or yellowing of teeth, or pitting and mottling of the enamel, depending on the degree of exposure. Only an expert can detect mild fluorosis, as it shows only minimal changes such as a fleck of white or pearly appearance to the teeth. As caries itself is an unsightly and painful condition, mild fluorosis from fluoride intake can be considered a better condition with added benefit of protection from caries. Actually, mildly fluorotic teeth have a pearly glow than normal teeth and most people like to have mild fluorosis in teeth, as it is indistinguishable and appear more beautiful. Depending on the degree of fluorosis, teeth would appear yellowish to brownish with pitting or mottling making it cosmetically unacceptable. Sometimes, even if the water supply is not fluoridated, children can be found having fluorosis. In such conditions, on evaluation, the causes were found to be fluoride supplements or children swallowing fluoride toothpastes while brushing. Hence, it should be mandatory to get the advice of a dentist about the need for fluoride supplements and proper supervision of child’s tooth brushing. Parents should be teach them how to brush with minimum toothpaste and to spit out after brushing. Dental fluorosis can be treated with bleaching, whitening, microabrasion, or with veneers, depending on the degree of disclouration or damage.