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 teeth is very important. There are a few oral hygiene habits that are crucial to keeping your teeth in the best possible condition.

Most importantly is brushing. City of London dentists recommend that you brush twice a day for at least three minutes. This should be done with a soft bristled brush, to protect the gums, and preferably one with a small head to allow a greater access to all parts of the mouth. You should try and hold the brush at a forty-five degree angle to the gums so that they are gently stimulated as you brush the flat surfaces of the teeth. This removes bacteria and plaque from the teeth, substances that combine to release acids which gradually erode tooth enamel causing decay. Effective brushing can be the key to fighting decay and gum disease but it is more effective still when combined with flossing.

Flossing allows you to clean the parts of the teeth that are difficult to reach using a conventional toothbrush. This includes the areas between the teeth that are too narrow to be cleaned by the bristles on most brushes. Food particles and bacteria often accumulate in these gaps, which cause not only decay but also can be the underlying cause of bad breath. Flossing also allows you to clean the part of the teeth and gums around the base that are hard to get to with a brush. This helps to prevent inflamed gums which can trap bacteria and cause unpleasant bleeding.

As well as brushing and flossing you may also want to use a tongue scraper or tongue brush a couple of times a week to remove bacteria for the tongue.

We all brush our teeth everyday. It’s something that is instilled into us from a young age, but not nearly so many of us floss. Some people see it as an extra hassle, something that should really be done but doesn’t matter a great deal if it’s not. This could be a very dangerous attitude as dentists are urging all of us to realise how important flossing is for our oral health.

Brushing removes plaque and bacteria that build up on the flat surfaces of the teeth. This helps to prevent tooth decay that causes dental cavities. Brushing also stimulates the gums helping to remove bacteria that stop the dangerous and unfortunately common gum disease. But there are many areas of the teeth and gums that cannot be reached with a toothbrush. The bristles of a standard toothbrush are too wide to fit in the gaps between teeth where food particles and bacteria can accumulate. This allows plaque to take a foothold and start eroding the protective tooth enamel. Flossing allows you to clean these narrow areas between the teeth and also around their base.

In addition, flossing also helps to prevent inflamed gum tissue around the base of the teeth causing further problems. This is because inflamed tissue creates small pockets between the gums and the teeth, which can act as shelters for plaque and bacteria. By flossing, this tissue is cleaned and subsides to a more natural level making cleaning easier. For more information and techniques of how to floss most effectively, make an appointment to se a London dentist.

It’s a little known fact but gum disease is responsible for more lost teeth than tooth decay, yet so little focus is put on keeping our gums clean when compared to our teeth. Both varieties of gum disease, the milder gingivitis and the more serious periodontitis, are caused by a build up of plaque on the gums, releasing acid and gradually causing an infection.

We’re all aware of plaque but few of us realise exactly what it is. It is made up of a collection of bacteria and food matter that clings to the teeth and gums like a film. Gradually releasing acid from the decaying food and bacteria, it breaks down tooth enamel causing cavities and eroding gum tissue exposing it to infection. Gum disease is very common in the UK with over three quarters of adults experiencing gum disease at some point.

Gingivitis is the mild form of the disease which can be treated with more effective cleaning and some minor treatment from the dentist. Improved brushing and most importantly flossing will usually sort it out, but if plaque is allowed to continue to attack the gums it may worsen, eventually becoming periodontitis which is much more difficult to treat. In serious cases, periodontitis needs to be treated with anti-biotics, surgical tissue removal and even hospitalisation. It also commonly results in tooth loss and the spread of infection. With the recent research indicating a link between gum disease and heart disease it is important to prevent gum disease reaching these proportions. City of London dentists are trained to treat all forms of gum disease but can also be integral in its prevention with regular check ups.

Making sure your teeth are clean and healthy is very important, but it is important never to forget how important it is to look after your gums. Gum disease is responsible for more tooth loss in the UK than tooth decay and gum disease has recently been established to be a major contributing factor to heart disease and even strokes.

Keeping your gums clean is a simple matter of removing plaque. Plaque is a filmy substance that sticks to teeth releasing acid which erodes tooth enamel causing decay. It also sticks to gums destroying tissue and causing infections we know as gum disease. Most gum disease is mild and can be treated with improved cleaning but if it becomes the more serious periodontitis it can require tissue removal and hospital treatment.

The gums can be cleaned easily by angling the toothbrush at a forty–five degree angle when brushing. This gently clears gums of plaque and food debris which cause disease. Flossing below the gum line also helps to remove bacteria and food trapped in small pockets between the gums and teeth.

It is also important to make regular visits to a Central London dentist who can examine teeth for the first signs of gum disease and carry out thorough cleaning. Don’t get caught out by gum disease, as it can be a painful and unpleasant experience and one that is easily avoided.

Flossing is very important because it removes food particles and bacteria from hard to reach places not cleaned by conventional brushing. These include in the narrow gaps between teeth and below the gum line. It is these places that are often breeding grounds for bacteria and the location of a lot of dental decay and gum disease.

Dentists recommend that you floss at least once a day to receive the maximum benefits. Proper flossing technique should use about 40 centimetres of floss with the majority wound around one finger on each hand. Tightening the floss between the thumbs until taught, slide the floss up and down between the teeth without forcing it. Gently floss below the gum line all around the bottom of the tooth. For each tooth, use a new and clean section of floss unwound from one of the fingers. To remove the floss, gently work your way back and forth up to the top of the teeth.

It is also important to use the right kind of dental floss for the best results. The two types available are nylon and PTFE. Nylon floss comes in waxed and unwaxed varieties but can sometimes shred when used vigorously between the teeth. PTFE floss is a single thread, unlike the many-stranded nylon thread so is less likely to shred but it is more expensive.

More advice on flossing techniques, which type of floss to use and general dental health advice can be got from your Central London dentist at your next check up. Look after your teeth properly and they will last you a lifetime.

Taking good care of your teeth is a simple and effective way of looking after them and keeping them healthy for life. By following just a few simple rules you can keep your teeth free of decay and gum disease and keep your breath fresh. But it is amazing how many people are unaware of how to clean their teeth properly and the trouble this can cause.

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day for at least three minutes using a brush with appropriate bristles (too hard can be damaging, too soft can be ineffectual) and suitable toothpaste. A City of London dentist can recommend both of these products at a routine check up. By brushing at a forty-five degree angle to the teeth you are also cleaning the gums helping to keep them healthy. Again, a dentist can show you the best way to brush.

It is also crucial that you use dental floss on a daily basis. Not flossing is like having a shower and only washing two thirds of your body. Because food and bacteria can get stuck in hard to reach places and between teeth this often means that decay starts in places you cannot see. That is why it is crucial to floss everyday to remove this matter from difficult to reach places. Decaying food mater caught between teeth is also responsible for 90 per cent of cases of bad breath, which can be prevented with flossing.

Other cleaning tools such as tongue scrapers and inter-dental brushes, as well as mouthwashes, can be recommended by your dentist at your next six-monthly appointment, which is the most fundamental way of keeping your mouth healthy.

Brushing is the first line of defence against tooth decay and gum disease and if performed properly is an effective barrier against both. However, it would seem by the levels of decay still happening in the UK that many people are still not brushing their teeth correctly, or for long enough.

Bacteria in the mouth attach themselves to tooth enamel using their sticky outer membrane. If the bacteria are not removed by effective brushing they can build up forming a plaque acid. This acid erodes the protective enamel of the tooth causing cavities that lead to infection and eventually tooth loss. Brushing twice a day for three minutes with an appropriate brush and paste can remove plaque forming bacteria keeping your teeth clean and strong and your breath fresh.

Dentists recommend that you brush at a forty-five degree angle to the teeth pointing the brush towards the gums. This way the gums are also brushed clean from bacteria and debris, but it is important not to brush the gums too hard as gum tissue can be eroded. It is also important to floss your teeth at least once a day to remove bacteria and food debris from places a toothbrush can’t reach. Brushing without flossing is the equivalent of only cleaning two thirds of your teeth.

It is important to remember to change your toothbrush every six months as bristles become bent and flat and do not provide a thorough clean when overused. Central London dentists can advise you which is the most suitable brush for your teeth at your next appointment.

Second only to brushing, flossing is the most important way of keeping your teeth looking and feeling clean and healthy. Brushing alone is unable to remove all the bacteria that builds up in the smallest gaps and spaces in the teeth, so flossing is crucial to thorough dental care.

Flossing involves using a special thin dental wire to remove particles of food, bacteria and plaque form between teeth and below the gum line. Conventional toothbrushes can not fit in the gaps between teeth where food gets lodged, and it also cannot clean teeth below the gum line. It is these hidden areas where decay can really take hold so it is important to keep them clean.

It is also important to remove food particles trapped between teeth as they are responsible for 95 per cent of cases of bad breath. Rotting food particles release foul smelling sulphurous compounds which cause bad breath and lead to tooth decay. A London dentist can demonstrate the most effective ways to floss teeth removing as much bacteria as possible.

If bacteria and plaque does build up in hard to reach areas it can cause cavities and decay that is very hard to treat. By taking the extra couple of minutes each day to floss thoroughly you could save yourself hours of uncomfortable dental treatment and anxiety in the future. It is estimated that teeth cleaning without flossing is like only washing two thirds of your body, which still leaves plenty of room for bacteria to grow. So floss once a day for a complete clean.

A Central London dentist has recently given advice on the prevention and treatment of gum disease. Tooth loss is generally thought to be due to the tooth simply coming loose, but in most cases it is actually due to a periodontal disease. This is an advanced form of Gingivitis. Is it preventable? A Central London dentist recently advised that gum disease is a natural product of modern living, the food we eat is full of chemicals that are necessary to keep it fresher for longer. The sugar, fat and salt content of our diet, even a well balanced diet, can affect our gums and create the breeding grounds for gum disease. It isn’t preventable entirely, but with a good healthy approach to oral hygiene and regular dental checks; we can lessen the burden. Removing the causes of the disease is a must to keep the mouth as disease free as possible. Plaque is the main contender and the bacteria it contains is in everything we put in our mouths. Keeping the levels down to a minimum will ensure a lot less gum disease. The disease will eat away at the base of the tooth and prematurely cause a breakage from the bone. It also causes the gums to shrink; gums are a protective layer over the teeth that guard against damage to the most vulnerable part of the tooth; which is the base. In losing the gums to a disease like Gingivitis it is not only painful, but in most cases irreversible, it really is a case of prevention rather that cure because there isn’t one. The best a dentist can do is to slow down the process, the rest is really up to us as the owner of teeth, and prevention is always better than cure.