Posts Tagged ‘plaque’

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Dental care is more than just brushing say City of Leeds dentists

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Brushing your teeth is only part of a good oral hygiene regime. Although brushing is very important for removing plaque and keeping teeth clean and free of bacteria, there are other important ways of maintaining the health of your teeth and gums.

As well as brushing your teeth twice a day for three minutes to clean the teeth, City of Leeds dentists recommend that time should be spent looking after the other areas of the mouth as dental care is more than just brushing. They recommend flossing at least once a day and using fluoride toothpaste if it is suitable for your teeth. It is also very important to clean other areas of the mouth such as the tongue.

The grooved and porous surface of the tongue can be a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The substance responsible for causing gum disease and tooth decay, known as plaque, is a bacteria-rich substance. If the tongue is not cleaned effectively it will begin to act as a reservoir of bacteria for the tongue, which then causes subsequent damage to the teeth and gums, even if they have been thoroughly cleaned with a toothbrush.

Not only does the tongue act as a reservoir for bacteria causing decay, but it can also be the source of bad odours which are then carried out the mouth on the breath. Bacteria that decays releases foul-smelling sulphurous compounds which are the cause of over 90% of cases of bad breath. Dentists recommend using a soft-bristled brush at least twice a week to clean the surface of the tongue. Alternatively, you may wish to use a tongue scarper to remove the bacteria form the tongue. This, along with a strong brushing and flossing routine, will help to keep your mouth clean and free of bacteria.

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City of Leeds dentists warn of the dangers of smoking and gum disease

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Many smokers need to be made more aware of the risks that they are putting themselves under. In a recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association it as found that only a third of smokers considered themselves to be at a greater risk of heart disease than non-smokers. Whether they are just tuned out to the dangers or completely ignorant is unclear, but they are also placing themselves at risk of many other health complications.

City of Leeds dentists are keen to make smokers realise that they are also significantly increasing their chances of periodontal or gum disease. As well as this, smoking has been found to dramatically slow the healing process of any dental treatment patients may have undergone.

Smoking makes you far more likely to suffer form plaque and tartar and also increases the risks of developing pockets between the teeth and gums where disease can begin and take hold. Plaque and tartar that is not removed can begin to eat away at tooth enamel and gum tissue which, if left untreated, can become full blown periodontal disease.

This can result in tooth loss, bleeding and painful gums and even heart disease. Severe gum disease is treated either with a course of antibiotics, tissue removal or in some cases hospitalisation. It is therefore very important to understand the links between smoking and gum disease and to do all that you can to prevent it. City of Leeds dentists can provide you with more information and advice on the best ways to give up smoking or at least keep your teeth clean and healthy while you still smoke.

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City of Leeds dentist helps you to brush plaque away

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

The most important part of dental care happens at home according to dentists. Regular check ups can help to prevent more serious dental concerns and ensure that your teeth are being kept as healthy as possible, but it is really effective brushing and flossing that are the most important defence against decay and disease. This is because when it comes to dentistry, prevention is much better than cure.

To keep teeth as healthy as you can, you need to remove plaque. This is a filmy substance that accumulates on the teeth and around the gums. It consists of bacteria and food particles, which can cause the erosion of tooth enamel and gum tissue, which leads to infection. Brushing removes this plaque before it is able to cause any harm or damage to the enamel. Brushing also helps to stimulate the gums, keeping them clean and in good condition.

Brushing with toothpaste is also good because toothpastes contain ingredients, which help to fight plaque and bacteria. Some toothpastes also contain fluoride, which can help to protect teeth against enamel erosion and decay. It is necessary to check with your dentists if fluoride is suitable for your teeth as it can cause staining in some cases.

City of Leeds dentists can give you more advice about effective brushing and flossing. It is usually a good idea to use a toothbrush with a small head as this makes it easier to reach difficult parts of the mouth. Brushing your teeth well will not only remove plaque and bacteria, but can help to preserve enamel keeping your teeth strong and free from sensitivity.

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Foods to eat and avoid for good dental health - ask a Central Leeds dentist

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Choosing the right food is very important not just for the health of your body, but also for the health of your teeth. Good oral hygiene can be affected by the food you put into your mouth, so it is definitely worth taking into consideration how your diet is made up. It is especially important for children to eat healthy foods so their teeth develop well and they also grow up with good habits.

Food comes into contact with the bacteria and germs that live in the mouth. By not brushing your teeth effectively, plaque can start to build up on the tooth enamel and gum tissue. This happens because plaque thrives on the sugars and starches found on certain foods. When the plaque is combined with the starch and sugar it can release acid which is the main cause of tooth erosion, eventually causing tooth decay and tooth loss. This acid erosion can occur for up to twenty minutes after eating which is a long time, especially if it happens three times a day, everyday.

Obviously, foods high in starch and sugar should mostly be avoided. Sweets and sugary snacks and drinks can encourage the build up of plaque and speed erosion. But even fruit and vegetables have some starch and sugar in them, so it is important to have a balanced diet. There is no need to completely cut out any food but be aware that some may be more damaging to teeth than others. It is also true that when you eat is just as important as what you eat. Avoid snacking between meals and drink plenty of water after eating. Central Leeds dentists have more information about what foods to eat and what to try and avoid for good dental health.

Advice from central Leeds dentist on foods to eat and avoid for good dental health

Foods to eat and avoid for good dental health – ask a Central Leeds dentist

Choosing the right food is very important not just for the health of your body, but also for the health of your teeth. Good oral hygiene can be affected by the food you put into your mouth, so it is definitely worth taking into consideration how your diet is made up. It is especially important for children to eat healthy foods so their teeth develop well and they also grow up with good habits.

Food comes into contact with the bacteria and germs that live in the mouth. By not brushing your teeth effectively, plaque can start to build up on the tooth enamel and gum tissue. This happens because plaque thrives on the sugars and starches found on certain foods. When the plaque is combined with the starch and sugar it can release acid which is the main cause of tooth erosion, eventually causing tooth decay and tooth loss. This acid erosion can occur for up to twenty minutes after eating which is a long time, especially if it happens three times a day, everyday.

Obviously, foods high in starch and sugar should mostly be avoided. Sweets and sugary snacks and drinks can encourage the build up of plaque and speed erosion. But even fruit and vegetables have some starch and sugar in them, so it is important to have a balanced diet. There is no need to completely cut out any food but be aware that some may be more damaging to teeth than others. It is also true that when you eat is just as important as what you eat. Avoid snacking between meals and drink plenty of water after eating. Central Leeds dentists have more information about what foods to eat and what to try and avoid for good dental health.

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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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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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City of Leeds dentist spots and treats first signs of periodontal disease

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Periodontal disease, often commonly referred to as gum disease, is seen in two degrees of severity. Milder gum disease is called gingivitis and involves a mild inflammation of the gum tissue. It is estimated that three quarters of all adults in the UK will experience some gingivitis at some point. It is usually easily remedied by improved oral hygiene and some treatment from a dentist. The other more serious form of gum disease is called periodontitis and requires much more substantial treatment. It usually stems from a failure to address or treat the milder form of the disease and can cause significant dental problems such as infections and tooth loss. In fact, periodontitis is responsible for more tooth loss in the UK than tooth decay.

Gum disease is caused, like tooth decay, by plaque. This is a sticky substance that forms in the mouth and coats the teeth and gums. Consisting of food debris and bacteria, plaque releases acid that gradually erodes enamel and destroys gum tissue. Proper brushing and flossing can usually remove most plaque keeping the teeth and gums safe but if this is lacking the plaque begins to harden becoming tartar which is much more difficult to remove.

It is important that you make regular visits to the dentist every six months who can examine teeth for the symptoms of gum disease. Catching periodontitis early gives the patient a much better chance of successful treatment and avoiding any of the more unpleasant treatments for serious disease such as tissue removal and even extractions.
Gum disease has also recently been linked to heart disease which means there is now more reason than ever to have your gums checked by a City of Leeds dentist.

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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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Avoid decay and gum disease by visiting Central Leeds dentist

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Tooth decay and gum disease are still a major problem in the UK thanks to poor diet and insufficient standards of oral hygiene. While many people do not see their dental health as all that important, decay and disease can have significant consequences for your overall health.

Gum disease has been strongly linked to heart diseases. Infections which start in the gum tissue infiltrate the blood stream and are transported to the areas around the heart. This can cause blockages in the arteries, which can cause serious cardiac problems including heart attacks. Gum disease can also be very painful and if allowed to progress can need treatment ranging from antibiotics, tissue removal and even hospitalisation.

Tooth decay, which like gum disease is caused by plaque releasing acid, can also be incredibly painful and nasty. Decay can lead to infection which destroys the very sensitive dental nerve and cause painful abscesses. Theses abscesses can burst releasing infected material into the mouth where it can damage other teeth and enter the bloodstream causing further complications.

Both tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented by more effective cleaning and being aware of what you are eating. Effective brushing and flossing, combined with regular trips to a Central Leeds dentist can help to keep your teeth and gums clean, healthy and free from disease.

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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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