Archive for the ‘oral hygeine’ Category

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Leeds dentist stresses the importance of flossing

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

There are a number of very important reasons why you should floss every day. Flossing is often seen as not as important as brushing but this is not necessarily true. Brushing your teeth cleans the flat surfaces of the front and back of the teeth but it can’t reach certain parts of the teeth that are harder to get to. This includes the area between the teeth, which is too narrow for the bristles of a brush, and the areas around the base of the teeth and below the gum line.

It is important to clean these parts of the teeth, as this is where bacteria and plaque are most likely to gather. Bacteria and plaque can then begin to attack the tooth enamel breaking it down and causing decay. Food particles can also get stuck in between teeth, which become breeding grounds for bacteria, one of the main causes of unpleasant bad breath.

Flossing helps to remove these food particles and plaque that cause decay and gum disease. Leeds dentists recommend that you floss at least once a day, making sure to clean the areas around the base of the teeth. There are various types of floss available for different teeth so ask your dentist which is the most suitable for you.

If you haven’t flossed in a while, there may initially be some blood on the floss or when you rinse out your mouth. This is a sign that your gums are inflamed and in desperate need of a good floss. This will eventually clear up with regular flossing. It is never too late to start flossing and giving your teeth the protection they need.

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Get rid of bad breath caused by gum disease at Leeds dentist

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Bad breath is an unpleasant and embarrassing dental condition and social problem. The worst thing about it is that it is very difficult to tell if you have bad breath without being told about it. There are a number of causes of bad breath including oral bacteria living on food trapped in between the teeth, digestion problems and also from gum disease.

The smell coming from a person’s mouth who has active gum disease, or periodontitis as it is otherwise known, is so distinctive a Leeds dentist can correctly anticipate the problem before they have even started to examine the patient. Gum disease is typically more of a problem the older we get, with patients over the age of 35 being particularly at risk. This means that bad breath caused by gum disease is also a risk factor the older we get.

Gum disease is a bacterial infection that takes hold in the gum tissue that surrounds the teeth. It forms in the pockets that exist between the teeth and the gums and can cause irritation, bleeding and even tooth loss if not treated early enough. It is the bacteria that cause the infection that are responsible for the bad odour that causes bad breath.

Gum disease that causes bad breath can be treated with help from the dentist and with improved cleaning and oral hygiene. Better brushing and particularly flossing can help to remove bacteria, even from the small pockets that exist at the base of the tooth and gum.

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Protect your teeth with good oral hygiene and check up from Leeds dentist

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Oral hygiene is one of the only aspects of our health over which we have almost total control. No matter how fit and healthy we are we are always at risk of any number of internal or external health conditions. But when it comes to our teeth it is our own actions that determine how healthy they are.

The two main threats to the health of our teeth are tooth decay and gum disease. Both of these conditions can be particularly nasty and incredibly painful, as anyone who has suffered a toothache can tell you. Yet they are both completely preventable by sticking to a disciplined oral hygiene routine. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft bristled brush will remove plaque, the substance responsible for much of the inflammation in gum disease and for the erosion of tooth enamel that causes tooth decay. Backing up this brushing with flossing will remove the plaque, bacteria and trapped food particles that may be lodged or hiding in the difficult spaces in between the teeth. These spots are especially important to clean, as they are often the place where decay or disease first starts.

Cleaning and brushing effectively will also prevent bad breath, of which nine out of ten cases are caused by poor standards of oral hygiene. Dentists also recommend that some patients can benefit from a special tongue cleaner to remove bacteria from the warm and moist groves of the tongue.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, always remember to make a regular six-month visit to a Leeds dentist. Even the healthiest teeth still need to be checked regularly for signs of decay and infection. This will back up all the good work you do at home and help to keep your smile looking beautiful for years to come.

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Cleaner teeth with scaling and polishing from City of Leeds dentist

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

There is no feeling quite as clean as that of just having had your teeth cleaned by a dentist or dental hygienist. No mater how thoroughly you brush and floss at home you can never get that ‘straight from the dentist’ clean feeling. Dentists and hygienists use techniques known as scaling and polishing to clean teeth as thoroughly as possible, which while sometimes a little unpleasant, are very necessary to keep teeth healthy.

Scaling involves the careful use of the ominous looking little scaling hook to remove hardened plaque, commonly called tartar from the teeth. Plaque itself can be removed at home by brushing and flossing, but in hard to reach places it can often become hard. It is necessary to remove plaque and tartar as they cause inflammation of the gums and dental decay, both of which can cause nasty infections and ultimately tooth loss. Tartar is very difficult to remove and needs the skilful use of scaling by the dentist to scrape from the surface of the tooth.

Polishing is the process of thoroughly cleaning the surface of the teeth usually using an electric polisher. This smoothes the surface of the enamel, removing plaque and minor stains. This makes the teeth feel very clean and smooth and makes it difficult for plaque to cling to the surface of the teeth. City of Leeds dentists offer scaling and polishing as part of a regular dental check up pr hygiene appointment to help keep teeth as clean and healthy as possible. They are two of the simplest yet most effective ways to keep teeth free form the damage caused by plaque and tartar.

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Central Leeds dentist highlights need for more than just brushing for healthy teeth

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

With gum disease and tooth decay on the increase amongst children and adults in the UK, dentists are keen to stress the importance of effective teeth cleaning. For many people, cleaning their teeth simply involves giving them a quick brush in the morning when they get up and before they go to bed but a thorough dental hygiene routine should be so much more than that.

Looking after your teeth is very important and something that will actually make a real visible difference. Dental care is one of the few aspects of the body where we have almost complete control over the diseases and disrepair that affect it. As well as brushing for three minutes at least twice a day (after every meal is desirable although not necessarily always practical) patients should be flossing at least once a day. The importance of flossing is to remove plaque, bacteria and food debris from hard to reach areas such as between the teeth and in the gum pockets below the gum line. This helps to limit gum disease and tooth decay, both of which are caused by plaque acid.

Dentists also recommend the use of tongue cleaners to remove bacteria from the soft grooves of the tongue. This can help to lower plaque production limiting decay. Cleaning your tongue with your toothbrush is often not that effective as the bristles are too soft to remove the bacteria. Chewing gum and using mouthwash do have a place in dental hygiene but it is always best to check with your dentist first as they can also have adverse side effects such as destabilising the bacteria levels.

Most importantly of all however, is the need to visit a Central Leeds dentist every six-months, to monitor the teeth and keep an eye open for the first signs of decay and disease.

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Improve your oral hygiene by visiting Central Leeds dentist

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Looking after your teeth really doesn’t take much effort when you consider the consequences of not doing it properly, yet so many of us fall short of the recommended standards of cleaning. It is very easy when it comes to our teeth to assume that they are fine because they are causing no immediate problems, but this can be very deceptive and dangerous.

Tooth decay and gum disease occur very gradually over time as consistent poor hygiene allows plaque acid to erode enamel and irritate gum tissue. This may not be immediately painful and you may not realise it is happening but the longer you leave it the more serious it will become. It is therefore very necessary to ensure that you are cleaning your teeth properly to remove plaque and limit the threat of dental disease.

Effective oral hygiene has three main aspects. The most important is brushing which dentists recommend you should do at least twice a day for three minutes to remove plaque from the surface of the teeth. Brushing should ideally be carried out using a soft bristled brush so as not to erode any gum tissue unnecessarily, and the head of the brush should be angled at forty-five degrees to the gums.

Next to brushing is flossing, which is equally as important, as it removes plaque and food debris from the difficult to reach areas between the teeth and around their base. By not flossing you may experience decay in these areas that are difficult to see. Lastly, and most obviously is to make sure that you visit the dentist on a regular basis. A Central Leeds dentist can make sure that no decay is taking pace and can address any issues before they become too serious. By making just these few changes you could vastly improve your chances of avoiding unpleasant dental concerns.

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City of Leeds dentist recommends daily flossing for healthy teeth

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Second only to brushing, flossing is the most important way of keeping your teeth clean and healthy and helping to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Dentists recommend that patients floss at least once a day to help remove plaque, the main cause of decay and infection, and to remove trapped food particles which are responsible for over 90 per cent of cases of bad breath.

Flossing is important because it reaches parts of the teeth and gums that cannot be cleaned by the bristles of a toothbrush. Brushing removes plaque from the front and back surfaces of the teeth and from the gums, but in the narrow areas between the teeth and parts of the tooth just below the gum line, flossing is required to keep these areas clean. It is often the most difficult areas to clean that are the location of tooth decay, as bacteria and plaque can build up there unchecked.

Proper flossing technique involves using about 40 cm of floss wound tight around one finger from each hand and made taught using the thumbs. Placing the floss between the teeth you then use a forward and backward motion moving the floss up and down the gap, cleaning the surface of the teeth and removing any matter trapped there. Slight rotation of the floss at the bottom of the tooth will help to clean the small pockets located under the gums where tooth enamel is still at risk. City of Leeds dentists can demonstrate the most effective way to floss at your next check up appointment to help you keep your teeth as healthy as possible.

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Leeds dentist explains importance of oral hygiene

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

Our dental hygiene is one aspect of our overall health that we can have direct control when it comes to preventing disease. Unlike other aspects of our body where disease can strike at any time, tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented by an active and efficient daily dental hygiene routine.

The most obvious aspects of dental hygiene are brushing and flossing. These form the backbone of dental hygiene helping to remove dangerous plaque which causes the breakdown of tooth enamel and gum disease. Brushing removes the sticky plaque from the front and back surface of the tooth and makes it smooth so it is more difficult for plaque to stick to. Flossing removes plaque from the difficult to reach parts between the teeth and under the gum line. It also remove strapped food debris which can decay and release sulphurous smells that cause bad breath.

Dentists also recommend using a tongue cleaner to remove bacteria from the tongue. The soft and moist grooves of the tongue are the perfect place for bacteria to breed so by keeping it clean it will benefit the health of your whole mouth. It may also be a good idea to use an inter-dental brush to clean the smaller areas between the teeth. Mouthwashes can benefit oral health but some of them can remove too much of the bacteria in the mouth causing an imbalance which can have a negative impact on the health of the mouth.

For more information on how to best keep your teeth and mouth clean and healthy and the importance of doing so, ask a Leeds dentist at your next six-month check up.

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Central Leeds dentist prevents unpleasant bad breath

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Bad breath, or halitosis, is a particularly unpleasant oral hygiene condition that affects not just the sufferer but also everyone else around them. Everyone has probably had bad breath at some time or other in their life and may not even have known about it as it is notoriously difficult to detect yourself. It is caused by the presence of bacteria in the mouth which decay and release a nasty smelling sulphurous odour that is then carried out on the breath.

Contrary to what some people believe, most cases, over 90 per cent in fact, are caused by this and only a small percentage by digestion or internal concerns. For most people this will only happen on occasions when they have forgotten to clean their teeth properly. For others it may be more common as everyone has different levels of bacteria in the mouth but the treatment is still the same for everyone. Keeping teeth clean by brushing for three minutes at least twice a day helps to remove bacteria and food particles which are the main cause of bad breath. Flossing at least once a day is also essential to keeping the mouth looking and smelling clean. Flossing removes trapped food particles that stimulate the production of bacteria. It is also a very good idea to clean the surface of your tongue using a tongue cleaner. The grooves of the tongue are also a prime location for bacteria to live.

In the majority of cases improved cleaning can prevent bad breath but in some cases it may still persist. Under production of saliva, the body’s natural defence against bad breath may be the underlying cause in some cases. Ask a Central Leeds dentist at your next check up if you are concerned about bad breath as no matter what the problem there is always a way to treat this unpleasant condition.

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Learn why mouthwash is bad for bad breath at Leeds dentist

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Bad breath can be very embarrassing and can also be the source of great anxiety, especially because it is very hard to tell yourself if you are suffering. This can cause many people to rely on oral hygiene products such as mouthwash and breath freshening spray to keep their breath smelling fresh. What they might not realise is that not only do these products not really work but they could even be making the breath worse.

Studies carried out by the Food and Drug administration in the US found that mouthwashes do little more than mask the smell for a limited period, usually little more than twenty minutes or so before it returns. It does not remove the source of bad breath and is even forbidden from claiming as much on packaging in the US. The same can be said for sprays and breath mints, all of which merely mask the smell on a temporary basis.

Furthermore, mouthwashes kill bacteria in the mouth which can cause an imbalance leading to the production of more bacteria in the future. This is because it interrupts the production of saliva which is the body’s natural way of regulating the bacteria in the mouth.

The only way to truly beat bad breath is to improve your general standards of oral hygiene with better brushing and flossing. This removes plaque, bacteria and most importantly food debris trapped in the teeth, which decay releasing the odour associated with bad breath. A Leeds dentist can advise you on the best ways to keep your teeth clean and free from unpleasant halitosis.

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