Posts Tagged ‘fresh breath’

Leeds dentists advise on chewing gum benefits to enhance oral health

Sunday, November 7th, 2010

Chewing gums benefits can be substantial to our oral health. Whether it is to freshen breath or contribute to increased production of saliva, many of us chew gum. Saliva is a vital force in protecting our teeth from the damaging effects of plaque and chewing gum is one of the simplest ways to achieve that.

Having a dry mouth can be very uncomfortable indeed and the pleasurable process of chewing gum helps to alleviate that. As a happy side effect your breath is freshened in the process. Feeling confident that your breath smells pleasant is very important for social occasions of all kinds, allowing you to talk and smile with confident without being worried that you ought to shield your mouth.

The saliva that is produced by the act of chewing neutralises acids which are introduced to the mouth via sugary and starchy foods. By combating these acids you are helping to guard against plaque, safeguard your teeth’s protective enamel and avoid painful cavities and tooth decay.

Chewing also helps clear the mouth of debris. If you find yourself in a situation where brushing is not possible – perhaps a business function involving lunch – chewing gum is the next best thing until you are able to use your toothbrush. The process of chewing will help to shift some of your food debris away from teeth and neutralise acids in the process.

The likelihood of stains is also reduced allowing your teeth to retain some of their whiteness. There are many different chewing gums available on the market and your Leeds dentist will be able to advise you on the best so that you maintain healthy saliva production and fresh breath.

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Top tips on dental care from City of Leeds dentist

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

Taking care of your teeth can be simple and straightforward if you diligently follow advice from dentists on how best to look after teeth generally, and more specifically from your own dentist about your own individual hygiene needs.

The most obvious form of dental care is that which we can practice at home. Brushing and flossing, as well as using other products like inter-dental brushes or tongue scrapers help to limit the amount of bacteria in the mouth. This helps to keep plaque acid to a minimum, protecting your teeth and gums from decay and keeping your breath fresh.

Brushing is ideally performed twice a day after meals, using a suitable brush and technique. A City of Leeds dentist can recommend suitable products and advise about effective brushing. Flossing helps to clean the parts of the teeth the brush misses, again stopping the build up of plaque-forming bacteria.

Of course, even the strictest oral hygiene regime needs to be accompanied with regular trips to the dentist. Every six-months is the recommended time scale but this can be adapted by your dentists depending on the condition of your teeth. Dentists can check for unseen signs of decay, as well as performing small procedures to further protect your teeth. Dentists can also advise you on other smaller, but no less important ways to keep your teeth healthy such as drinking water after eating and chewing sugar-free gum. By making a few small adjustments to your routine you could help to keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime.

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Keep your breath fresh everyday by visiting a Leeds dentist

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Everyone wants to have fresh breath, but the chances are that all of us, at one time or another, has suffered form bad breath. You’ve all seen the adverts on TV promising minty fresh breath all day and all night by using certain gum or mouthwash products but the reality is slightly different. Although these products will mask the smell of bad breath, they don’t prevent the causes of it, and more than likely you will notice it coming back. The only real weapon against bad breath is to take preventative measures. This almost always involves maintaining good standards of oral hygiene.

While it is true that some cases of bad breath, or halitosis as it is otherwise known, are caused by intestinal or digestive problems, over 90 per cent of cases are caused by poor standards of oral hygiene such as inadequate brushing or lack of flossing. In fact, most cases of bad breath are caused by an excess of bacteria in the mouth. The mouth is one of the dirtiest places in the human body, which while unpleasant, is unfortunately true. The conditions in the oral cavity are perfect for bacteria to thrive. Astonishingly, over 500 million bacteria live on the human tongue alone, in the warm and moist grooves of the surface. Food particles get trapped between the gaps in teeth, where normal brushes find it hard to reach, and when they decay release foul smelling sulphurous compounds which are one of the major causes of bad breath.

To combat these bacteria, Leeds dentists recommend that you brush your teeth correctly twice a day, for at least three minutes. Flossing once a day is also essential to remove decaying food matter form the parts conventional brushing cannot reach. It is also advisable to use a special tongue cleaning brush, as most toothbrushes are ineffective at thoroughly cleaning the tongue because the bristles are too soft. Effective cleaning can help to fight plaque, which is a filmy substance full of bacteria that covers the teeth causing bad breath and cavities, so not only will good cleaning keep your breath fresh, but it will also protect your teeth. Definitely two birds with one stone.

At your next dental check up, ask your Leeds dentist about the most effective methods of keeping your teeth and mouth free of bacteria and you can have that feeling of fresh breath confidence everyday.

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