There are many emergencies that crop up in the mouth as we wander through life in the city of London, some major, some minor, but there is one that should never be ignored, nor underestimated- an abscess. This generally arises from a lack of oral hygiene that has allowed plaque acids to develop and over time, can lead to gum disease and more seriously for the teeth, decay can set in. These complications make the teeth extremely very exposed to an abscess infection. Some abscesses, may only cause minor problems and pain to the teeth and face, you’ll know when you’ve got one because the face will start to swell, but an abscess quickly starts to poison the bloodstream affecting the heart and the brain and can lead to a life threatening situation. Hence you should treat one as an emergency and seek treatment immediately, from either your dentist if available, or the hospital. The important thing before treating an abscess is to reduce the inflammation and reduce the levels of poisoning of the blood- this is done by strong antibiotics. Only after the problem has been got under control, then your dentist can tackle the problem of the abscess. It can involve a root canal to remove any decay inside the tooth. However, an abscess is like a volcano, they have a habit of erupting again, which may mean the tooth has to be removed.

Modern oral hygiene products are incredibly affective these days and getting better to the point where one day, we may never need to visit a central London dentist again…one day. In the meantime, our dentists are a fantastic back up to our misgivings if something goes wrong, which is why regular visits should be seen as a luxury, rather than a chore. How many of us can honestly say we really know what we’re doing when we clean our teeth, getting into the places that we need to? That’s why we have dentists, because they do! To stop the evils that can affect the mouth in the long run, things like plaque and tartar that need to be checked first, and a dentist can do this effectively with a scale and polish. With more modern technology, a modern dentist can de-scale your teeth in many ways. Traditionally they would scrape the teeth, now they can air blast or aluminum blast the plaque away from the teeth. Lasers or ultra-sound are used too- this is down to the preference of your dentist and also what is best for your teeth. Naturally, this is followed by a polish to ensure your teeth are smooth enough to treat again, should the problem re-occur.

All dentists in central London have always been aware of the importance oral hygiene, but it’s thanks to scientific studies over the past 20 years, that they now also know how a bad mouth can affect the rest of the body, and one of these examples is the link between gum disease and diabetes. Unless you are of an immaculate constitution, gum disease will get to most of us, in some form, at some stage of our lives. It emanates from poor oral hygiene and diet to begin with, growing out of the build up of plaque around the teeth. Once it sets in, it starts to poison the blood that flows into the rest of the body and if left to roam, has been proven to cause diabetes. If you have diabetes, or know anyone that has, it’s an awfully hard condition to keep on top of- you have to monitor everything you eat and drink to maintain the sugar levels in your body, or you die. Of course, some people get diabetes early on in their lives- totally unrelated to gum disease. But diabetics are among the highest group of people to then suffer from gum disease and tooth loss; it isn’t a very attractive merry-go-round to find your-self on. Either or, it makes it imperative to maintain a very intense level of oral hygiene for yourself and between you and your dentist, and the amazing range of products on the market, you have a great opportunity of fighting the problem.

Most products that we use to keep our mouths healthy in London work wonders, better than ever before. Yet in striving to maintain our oral hygiene, we may be overdoing it and actually doing more damage. If we get the wrong brushes and toothpastes, they can be abrasive and damage the tooth’s enamel and gums, opening the doors for bacteria to flourish, leading to decay and gum disease. Other toothpastes contain ingredients that with over use, can dry up the mouths saliva- the natural fighting agent against bacteria and plaque, without which, leaves the mouth dry and very vulnerable to attack. Similarly, most mouthwashes contain alcohol- great for killing some bacteria, but again with over use, can leave the mouth bereft of the saliva it needs. One of the greatest dangers to the teeth and gums, are home tooth whitening techniques, and this is a big market right now as we clamber to get our teeth white Both whitening toothpastes and the kits themselves contain bleaching agents. Used in moderation, they work fine, but over used they can dry out the tooth enamel and the surrounding gums, doing irreversible damage. If you have any doubts about oral products, most dentists can supply you with information on how to care for your teeth sensibly.

Anyone that has already been through the experience of the moment wisdom teeth decide to make an impact on your life, and they invariably do at some point, it can be quite a traumatic few weeks in your life in the City of London. Some people may get off relatively lightly, for if after an x-ray, it reveals that the teeth are growing quite normally and it’s just a matter of waiting until they come through, then chewing gum, a few light herbal remedies and the taking of painkillers should be enough to get you through comfortably, fairly pain free and without having to have the teeth extracted. But not all wisdom teeth behave themselves like this and if they cannot grow freely, they can go off in all directions and may never show at all, in these cases, extraction is inevitable. This is operation is best done at the hospital, as the forces imposed on the jaws and head to remove a wisdom tooth are incredible and the mouth is very vulnerable to infection afterwards. In fact, if an extraction is not carried out correctly, serious life threatening complications can set in very quickly. Only in hospital can recovery be monitored properly, especially with multiple extractions. Once out of hospital, there will be pain attached to the healing process which will require painkillers and/or natural remedies such as clove oil to help in the recovery, along with attention to detail when it comes to oral hygiene.

Keeping up with oral hygiene in central London, is not just all about the teeth, it’s also about the thing that houses them- the gums. Caring for your gums is just as important as caring for your teeth, and this starts from the basics. Finding a tooth brush that suits you is important; it should be too abrasive as to damage your gums and should be changed regularly. Learning to brush correctly helps, for so many of us have never ever been versed in the art. Tooth paste and floss should be high on the agenda too, especially after meals to ensure that the complete removal of food stuffs that cause bacteria and plaque- this can be backed up with a mouthwash. Good diets can also help build an immune system that is resistant to bacteria and promote saliva levels in the mouth that keep the gums healthy. However, they will always be of a delicate nature, but they do respond to stimulation- gentle massaging with herbal remedies, can promote growth in gums, rinsing with warm salty water and clove oil will also help in situations where the gums bleed or weep when brushing. But this can indicate that there may be problems that you have overlooked, so regular appointments with your dentist should be enough to correct any issues your gums may have and keep them truly healthy.

The formation of cavities in teeth is an unfortunate fact of life for many people. Sometimes the brushing technique is inadequate, sometimes general health problems or a troubled personal life can lead to lapses in oral hygiene which cause holes to occur in teeth. It can be a painful process and your dentist will need to sort it out as soon as possible. Cavity formation does not just stop at will; once it has started your teeth will continue to break down and become useless unless the holes are filled.

Your Central London dentist is able to fill these holes as a matter of routine; they are trained to do such things. While in the past, metal might have been used, patients and professionals alike are happy that dental bonding tends to gain preference these days. What this amounts to is that patients have their cavities filled with a white, composite material that is easier to work with, producing results which are more accurate and far more pleasant to look at.

One question that many patients wish to ask their dentists about is just how long these dental bonding fillings will last in the mouth. Unfortunately everything has a life span. Just as your teeth experience wear and tear, so too do fillings carried out using dental bonding. Different studies have shown up different results for how long dental bonding lasts but most estimates tend to show results somewhere between five and ten years. Given the relatively low cost of having dental bonding work carried out, this still represents good value. It is a small price to pay to protect your teeth from prolonged and damaging decay.

Your teeth are not the only important part of your mouth, far from it. Your gums are just as vital in maintaining excellent oral hygiene and ensuring that you can talk, eat, drink and even smile in comfort. Allowing your gums to become diseased actually puts you at greater risk of losing teeth than tooth decay itself. Gum disease is usually quite easy to rectify should it occur but it is always best to act first and do what you can to stop it from taking hold in the first place.

Plaque is the main thing to think about when taking care of your gums. It is produced every time you eat, particularly sugary and starchy foods. You should make sure that it is removed from the gum line of your teeth so that it doesn’t inflame your gums. Gingivitis can take hold and, if left to progress, can turn in to periodontitis. This condition is definitely worth avoiding so you won’t suffer from inflammation of the jaw bone and likely tooth loss.

This is where preventive dentistry comes in. What it means is protecting the mouth from developing these conditions in the first place. The most simple thing to do is to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day and again after meals should you feel it necessary give what you have just eaten. This ought to be enough to remove the plaque from your mouth and ensure that it does not cause your gums to become inflamed.

As well as taking good care of your mouth at home, you should be sure to visit your City of London dentist every six months so that your teeth and gums can be thoroughly examined by an expert. They can identify any problems in their early stages and offer advice and treatment before they get worse.

Having a set of healthy teeth and gums is something that one can easily take for granted and many people don’t consider how much such a situation helps with being able to eat, drink and even talk in comfort. What can threaten the health of your mouth is bad oral hygiene and it is to be avoided at all cost. Thankfully, it is not a particularly complicated matter and you can guarantee good oral hygiene by taking a few simple steps.

The most important thing to remember is to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss too. This is done to remove plaque from your teeth. Plaque is a substance which is formed every time you eat and drink but there will be more of it after you have consumed food or drink which contains a lot of sugar and or starch. If plaque builds up then it can attack the protective enamel surface of your teeth and lead to tooth decay.

Plaque can be a problem for your gums too and lead to gingivitis. This evidences itself with reddening of gums which ought to be a healthy pink and feelings of sensitivity. Gum disease is actually a greater cause of tooth loss than tooth decay itself, especially if it progresses into periodontitis, an inflammation of the bones which hold teeth in place.

Your London dentist can help with your oral hygiene by offering you advice and guidance on these matters. You should get into the habit of having a check up every six months with your dentist so that your mouth can be examined by a trained expert and your oral hygiene monitored. Book an appointment today and reap the benefits of good oral hygiene.

Having bad breath can be a real issue when it comes to simple, social activities that many of us take for granted. Suddenly business meetings, parties and even dates can become fraught with anxiety as you worry about unpleasant smells coming from your mouth. But bad breath is not something that just has to be endured; there are a number of simple and effective ways to fight it, defeat it and live without it.

Bad breath, clinically known as halitosis, is caused by debris staying in your mouth and releasing unpleasant odours as time goes on. Debris can hang around on your teeth, in between them, on your tongue, on the inside of your cheeks or the roof of your mouth.

The best way to guard against bad breath is to follow the home oral hygiene that is recommended by dentists. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and after meals if you feel it necessary. Do so for about three minutes and be sure to cover all areas of your mouth. This will make sure that any debris that is left in the mouth will be dislodged. Having brushed you should floss between your teeth to ensure that nothing is left there. You may also with to brush your tongue but you should do so gently so as not to cause damage to what is a sensitive organ.

Some mouthwashes can help with bad breath but you should be careful because they can also dry out the mouth and create ideal conditions for bad breath-causing bacteria to stick to your teeth. In situations where you are unable to brush, you might want to chew gum so that a nice smell is emitted from your mouth. This helps with saliva production too.

Talk to your City of London dentist for more advice.