Posts Tagged ‘City of Leeds’

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The Importance of Brushing in the City of Leeds

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

Since childhood, most of us living in the City of Leeds have been conditioned to brush our teeth twice a day, morning and night. Whilst most of us still stick to this familiar routine, some begin to neglect the importance of dental hygiene, some even forget to brush at all.

There really is more to a toothbrush than just a tool your parents used to ruin you evenings and send you off to bed. Your toothbrush is the most important player in the fight against plaque, the nasty bacteria that can build up inside your mouth and cause a whole host of problems.

Plaque is the leading cause of gum disease, it consists of harmful bacteria that enter the mouth either through the food we eat or the air we breath. Plaque also causes cavities, tooth decay and ultimately tooth loss, all problems that can be avoid if you take the time to brush your teeth correctly.

Brushing your teeth should not be an absent-minded affair; when you are dealing with your dental health, you can never afford to be too careful. Brushing should involve using a good, clean toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste as this works best at removing stubborn plaque. The teeth should be cleaned in small, circular motions both on the surface and behind, do not scrub too aggressively as this may result in a loss of enamel.

In addition to brushing your teeth, it is essential that you also ensure your tongue is clean and free from plaque. Bacteria thrive on the surface of the tongue and are the main cause of bad breath. Taking the time to brush your tongue with the other side of your toothbrush will greatly reduce the amount of bacteria left in your mouth. Once brushing has been completed, dental floss should then be used to access the gaps between the teeth where plaque can escape the threat of the toothbrush.

 

 

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Bad Breath is No Longer a Dental Issue in the City of Leeds

Sunday, February 19th, 2012

Bad breath? Bad luck. How many of us have suffered with that embarrassing condition, characterized by the smell of rotting food, at some point in our lives? Not only does it decrease your self-confidence, it can be seen as a personal hygiene problem, although this is not always the case.

There are however several ways in which you can avoid the embarrassment of bad breath, just follow the advice given by respectable dentists from the City of Leeds.

Firstly it is important to understand what causes bad breath, only then can you understand how to treat and prevent it. Bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth, bacteria that builds up over time and emits foul odours as they grow in the oral cavity. It may also be caused by the break-down of the food that we consume. During some reactions between our food and our saliva, unpleasant smelling gases are given off, these also contribute to that most embarrassing of conditions.

If you wish to treat your bad breath immediately, short term methods such as mouthwashes and chewing gum are definitely recommended. Menthol-based mouth sprays are also a good way to fight off the odours and can be carried around at all times, unlike some larger mouthwashes.

For long term treatment of bad breath, it is essential to remove the majority of bacteria from the mouth, in this way they will be unable to produce an odour that is powerful enough to be carried on your breath. To avoid a build up of bacteria thorough brushing of the teeth is vital, as is ensuring daily cleaning of the tongue. Bacteria tend to accumulate on the tongue, but this is an area that often gets neglected when it comes to cleaning teeth. Scrubbing the tongue gently, twice a day, should be sufficient to lower the presence of bad-breath-causing bacteria. Finally, to remove plaque and food debris from hard to reach areas, dental flossing should be performed at least once a day. Floss can reach areas your toothbrush cannot, between teeth for example.

 

 

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How to Maintain Good Oral Hygiene in the City of Leeds

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Your teeth are precious and fragile fragments of your body, they deserve special care and attention, something most people are all too quick to ignore. Looking after your dental hygiene is more than just brushing your teeth twice a day; the lifestyle habits and food choices you make can also have a sever detrimental effect on your oral-health and overall well-being.

For many people in the City of Leeds, brushing teeth is no more than a two minute process. A quick once over of the top and bottom rows is deemed acceptable and this may even be neglected and substituted for a piece chewing gum if the individual is low on time. Brushing your teeth is essential to remove the bacteria that build up in your mouth over the course of the day. It is essential to brush not only your teeth but also thoroughly clean your tongue, this is where many bacteria thrive and it is the number one cause of bad breath. Flossing is also recommended by all dentists as it allows one to access the crevices between the teeth, impossible with brushing alone.

Regular dental check-ups are imperative for anyone who is concerned about their oral hygiene. Only a dentist is able to determine if you are suffering from problems such as gum disease and tooth decay. An appointment should ideally be made every six months in order to keep on top of any problems and ensure any necessary treatment is given.

Smoking and the use of tobacco-based products are possibly the worst life-style habits with regards to dental health. Tobacco has been proven to cause gum disease, a painful and dangerous condition categorized by receding or bleeding gums. In order to lower the risk of developing such a disease, smoking and the use of all related substances should stopped.

Finally, in order to ensure your teeth are healthy, it is important to follow a diet low in sugar. Sugar is known to increase the risk of cavities and tooth decay, it is far better to consume natural sugars (those found in fruit) than processed food such as sweets and chocolate.

 

 

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Dental Emergencies in the City of Leeds

Monday, February 13th, 2012

Dental emergencies are indeed a pain but unfortunately are all too common. When waiting for an appointment at your local dentist seems impossible, what else can you do in order to seek treatment and advice?

That is where the dental emergency services in the City of Leeds come into play. Emergency dental  practices offer an out-of-hours service, in which a patient suffering from severe pain or other complications can book an immediate appointment and be seen by a dentist as soon as possible.

Emergency appointments are only available for severe problems such as toothache, abscesses, mouth ulcers and teeth which have been knocked out. If you are suffering from mild toothache or any other mild symptoms of dental problems you should not contact an emergency clinic but should  take the recommended dose of pain killers and book an appointment with your local dentist.

To make an appointment with an out-of-hours dentist you simply need to phone up and state the problems you are having. If the practice agrees that you need emergency care, an appointment will be made for you at their next available time, normally within three hours. However, if they deem your problem too advanced for their service, they will recommend you go straight to A&E at your local hospital.

Concussion, extensive bleeding and other serious injuries are considered too advanced for treatment by an emergency clinic and so any individuals suffering from such problems should go immediately to A&E and not waste time ringing around local out-of-hours practices.

 

 

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The Risk of Gum Disease in Sufferers of Diabetes in the City of Leeds

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Sufferers of diabetes have been found to be at a high risk of developing gum disease in the City of Leeds. Gum disease has in fact been named as the sixth most common complication of diabetes and is most common in those sufferers who have little or no control over their blood-sugar levels.

Gum disease is caused by a build up of bacteria around the teeth and around the gum tissue, it can be caused by poor dental hygiene, smoking or diabetes. Symptoms of gum disease include receding gums, bleeding gums and tooth loss.

Diabetes is a disease that suppresses the body’s natural defences against infection. It is this depression of the immune system that is responsible for the higher risk of gum disease in patients suffering from diabetes. When an individual has problems controlling their blood-sugar content, the blood vessels can alter in shape, leading to a decrease in oxygen travelling to the bones and tissue of the jaw and mouth. This reduction in oxygen and nutrients causes damage and weakening to the gums, leaving them more prone to infection by harmful bacteria. In addition, individuals who are unable to properly manage their diabetes may have a higher concentration of glucose in their oral cavity, leading to an increase in the growth and reproduction rate of the bacteria surrounding the gums.

In order to help prevent gum disease, sufferers of diabetes should try to manage their blood-sugar levels effectively in order to reduce the amount of glucose left in the mouth after eating. Furthermore, they should ensure they brush and floss extremely regularly in order to remove any build up of harmful bacteria and prevent the formation of plaque residues between the teeth.

 

 

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Avoid Heart Disease with Good Oral Hygiene in the City of Leeds

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in the UK, millions of pounds are spent each year treating patients and trying to establish new therapies and preventative treatments. Recently however, research has indicated that preventing conditions such as heart attacks and strokes may be as simple as picking up your toothbrush and maintaining good oral hygiene.

The link between oral hygiene and heart disease is not completely clear at present, but is strongly believed to be related to gum disease. One proposed mechanism is that bacteria found around the diseased gums enters the blood stream when the gums are raw and bleeding. The bacteria that enters the circulatory system has been discovered in several ‘plaques’ (clotted bundles that block arteries ), leading to a theory that bacteria found in gum disease acts directly in the formation of clots in the blood stream, a predisposing condition for heart disease.

Another theory for the City of Leeds to consider is that diseased gums lead to an inflammation of the gum tissue, an immune response to infectious bacteria, and that this in turn could lead to the constriction of arteries and the formation of dangerous clots.

In order to prevent heart disease, several steps towards better oral hygiene should be considered. Firstly, brushing and flossing is essential in order to remove any excess plaque or food debris from between the teeth and on the tongue. Less bacteria in the gaps between teeth will lead to a lower risk of developing gum disease, which should in turn lower the risk of heart disease in individuals.

Secondly, a healthy, low-in-sugar diet is important not only as this has a direct implication on the heart itself, but also as sugary foods put individuals at a higher risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.

Finally, gum disease can be caused by tobacco-based products and cigarettes. In order to prevent the development of gum disease or to ensure treatment of the condition is successful, it is vital that smoking be stopped immediately.

 

 

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Dental Implants in the City of Leeds

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

Dental implants involve fasten a false tooth, or teeth, to the jawbone of an individual via a titanium rod. The titanium rod is first attached to the jawbone, then dentures or crowns are added and the implant is left to fuse with the jawbone. Normally, one implant is able to support several false teeth and in extreme cases, five or six implants can replace all the teeth in the jaw.

The process of dental implanting is a long one, it can take several months to prepare for and to complete due to X-rays and CT scans. The actual operation, normally carried out under local anaesthetic, involves the dentist drilling a hole in your jawbone and securing the implant into this hole. A second, minor, surgical procedure may then be required in order to uncover the tip of the implant from beneath the gum. Once this has been successful, the false teeth may be screwed or clipped onto the implant.

For the people of the City of Leeds, there are currently two methods of implanting available: immediate and delayed. Immediate implants take place straight after a tooth is removed, the implant is placed directly into that tooth socket and there is no need to form another hole. However, it is possible to perform a delayed implant. Following this procedure, a tooth is removed surgically and the jawbone is left to heal for several months. Once the bone has repaired itself, a new hole will be formed through drilling, and the implant will be anchored at a slightly different location.

It is possible to suffer from temporary side effects after implant surgery; swelling, discomfort and headaches are common. However, there can be some more serious complications related to the procedure such as: neuronal damage in the tissue, infection of the gum or jaw and extensive or severe bleeding. These complications can be dangerous but are extremely rare.

 

 

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Are the Smoker of the City of Leeds at a Higher Risk of Developing Gum Disease?

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

It has been common knowledge for many years now that smoking can lead to gum disease, but how does this happen? Currently, there are several theories surrounding the mechanisms by which gum disease may be triggered by smoking. Firstly, restricted oxygen delivery to the gums may be caused by blood vessels constricting in response to the tobacco smoke and nicotine found in cigarettes. In addition, a recent study has shown that smokers themselves are more likely to be infected with bacteria that his highly aggressive and effective in causing gum disease. Finally, it has been proven that the excessive consumption of cigarettes can lead to a depressed immune system, one that is less able to fight off infections as and when they occur, leading to a dangerous build up of bacteria in the oral cavity.

Gum disease manifests itself in several different ways, but the most common symptoms are gum recession, bleeding gums, bad breath, inflammation of the gums and loose teeth. If you are found to be suffering from any or a mixture of these symptoms there are treatments available. Treatment can either be via a non-surgical root planning procedure, in which your dentist will scrape away the diseased gum tissue to remove the bacteria or a surgical therapy to eliminate disease pockets by removing all of the infected gum tissue.

For smokers in the City of Leeds this may serve as a wake-up call. The current prevalence of smokers in the city is 30%, that’s 175,000 individuals at the highest risk of developing gum disease.

Luckily there is also good news; it has been found that former smokers respond better to treatment of this disease than those who currently still smoke. Therefore, it can be concluded that patients with gum disease who stop smoking prior to their therapy will respond and recover much better than if they chose to continue to feed their habit.

 

 

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The Majestic Dental Implant in the City of Leeds

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

There are some treatments in the medical world that can define treatments for years to come and when the dental implant first came to light, it was deemed a revolution and an answer to tooth loss and dentures. Back then however, it was also exclusive, lengthy, quite traumatic, and extremely expensive. Those boys who developed the idea would be turning in their graves and chuffed to bits right now if they could see how the procedure has developed since then, because new developments in laser technology has made it simple to place a titanium implant into the bone of the jaw. In fact, so easy, it can be done in a day in some cases. The point of having an implant is to replace the original root of the tooth so that a replacement tooth can be fitted and once it is in, it is there for good. It is a simple procedure these days, but the ethics behind the process remain, so there is always going to be a recovery period after it has been done. But the effects afterwards when you look in the mirror and see your new teeth will definitely make you smile. There is no elitism anymore in the city ofLeedsto having this treatment done, as the leap in technology has made it available to the masses and affordable too, what with the ways you can pay for the treatment.

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Super fast CEREC in the City of Leeds

Saturday, January 21st, 2012

It is a beautiful thing to see when the old traditions of ‘pure’ engineering sit side by side with modern technology and in the world of dentistry you can see both holding hands when it comes to a treatment called CEREC. This amazing new technology has landed in the city ofLeedsand has taken the place by storm. Treatments like having a veneer fitted, a bridge made or having a crown fitted could often take weeks of preparation- but once in they look fabulous and make you feel the same way. If however you have a mishap and damage your fitting, then again, it’s another few weeks until you are patched up. Now if you have to present yourself in a public way through work or if you just have a hot date, it will compromise the way you feel and the way you come across. Not anymore! With CEREC, these said fittings can be sorted out within around 90 minutes. You get into the chair and the dentist will take a few digital images of the affected area and then feed them into a computer. Now whilst your teeth are being prepped for the fitting, a milling machine in the surgery is constructing your new fitting from all of the data that has been fed into it. Within around an hour, you should be ready to have you new smile put into place, but if there is a problem, it can be adjusted on the spot as opposed to waiting another three weeks. Think about it, in an extended dinner hour, you can look adorable- that’s CEREC in a nutshell!

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