When you visit your City of London Dental Clinic, the dentist and dental hygienist will properly instruct you on oral health care. Proper oral hygiene habits must begin at a very early age, however it is never too late to start, and to relearn old habits. While at the City of London Dental Clinic, you should be taught how to properly brush and floss your teeth, and how to properly brush your tongue. Dental plaque should be properly remover at least twice daily. The crevices of your tongue contain a lot of surface area where dental bacteria and plaque can reside, and leave your mouth unclean. They can also affect your taste sensations, as your taste buds may be clogged if there is too much plague and food debris build-up on your tongue. Your City of London dental hygienist and dentist will suggest the use of a soft or medium bristled brush, with a very small amount of toothpaste. Your tongue should be brushed with the toothbrush being held in your hand in a comfortable many, forward and backward, with regular rinsing in between several strokes. This procedure may also be performed with just water, but it should be done carefully in order to ensure the maximum plaque removal.

Numerous individuals were never shown how to floss their teeth during childhood. Flossing is crucial for the maintenance of healthy gums; it’s not too late to begin flossing. Any newly formed habit will become easy after a few weeks. While at your London dentist or dental hygienist have them give you a personal lesson. However take these suggestions. Floss daily, your London dentist and dental hygienist suggest flossing once daily, however the jury is still out as to how many times a day is best. Also, floss after meals if you have a tendency to collect food between your teeth. Don’t rush when flossing, good flossing practices take time and coordination. Select a regular time to floss, select the best time for you to floss and try to set up a routine so that you do not forget to floss, and have floss with you. Dentists and dental hygienists feel that one of the better times to floss during the day is prior to bedtime. Don’t be cheap with the floss, pull off about 18 inches of floss, and move along the length of the floss while cleaning each side of all of your teeth, even the back side of the last teeth. Try not to reuse sections of floss, as it is believed that you may redistribute the bacteria to other areas of your mouth; though no research exists that demonstrates this belief. Select floss that performs what you want it to do, numerous flosses exists. Find the floss that best suits you and your oral hygiene needs. The type of floss that you like and how you hold the floss is a matter of personal preference.

In the City of London, there is help for your gum disease. Gum disease affects approximately 75% of adults in the U.K. Specific anaerobic bacteria (i.e., don’t like oxygen), and their by-product and end-products, can cause gum disease. The body tries to defend against gum disease, however when the insult is too strong this may not be possible. When the gums swell, bleed, turn red, are painful, or there is temperature or visible pus present, gum disease is usually the cause. If treated early on, gum disease is reversible and treatable. However, if allows to progress, gum disease can turn to periodontal disease that is not reversible, but can be arrested (i.e., stopped).
Your City of London dentist or dentist hygienist will enforce upon you that prevention is the key, and will teach you how to properly care for your teeth and gums. There are also numerous treatments available at your City of London Dental Clinic. You should have dental checkups and professional dental cleanings at least twice a year. If your case is too advanced, your City of London dentist will possibly refer you to a gum specialist (i.e., periodontist). Treatments can involve scaling and root planning, antibiotics, and/or surgery.

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.