Far too many people don’t take oral hygiene seriously enough these days, bad breath and constantly infected gums are the result of this lax regime says a London SE1 dentist. The best way to healthier teeth is through a simple, but disciplined program of brushing, flossing and rinsing. Flossing is the best thing you can do, but we don’t do it often enough and that’s a shame as it is the best way to keep down the production of oral acid. Yes, we do floss in the morning and at night, but it is during the day when we don’t floss that acid is produced in huge amounts. The times that mostly damage our teeth are during the day and at night, when we sleep and eat fast food, it is then that saliva is not produced and acid cannot be neutralised. That`s why our breath smells so badly in the morning. We need saliva to swallow, and to neutralise acid build up that is produced by oral bacteria. In the daytime we eat snacks and fast foods, it’s a sign of the busy times we live in, and that is good news for the bacteria, but bad news for our breath, gums and teeth. Drinking water during the day, and at nigh, will go a long way to neutralising acid that damages your gums and teeth; it is also good for taking toxins out of the body on a regular basis. Brushing also needs some attention to detail as most of us brush the wrong way, ask at your local dentists or chemists for information on brushing correctly.

Oral Cancer has many contributory causes, although the actual cause is still a mystery to Oncologists says a dentist from SE1 in London. Oral hygiene is just one such contributory factor as is smoking and the use of chewing tobacco; drugs that are rubbed on gums are also now seen as a factor. The tumours come in different forms and grow on the lips, inner mouth, gums and tongue; they come in the form of lumps, lesions and white spots. It is a difficult cancer to see early in the development as the process is usually quite painless, a burning sensation is felt in the latter stages and this is generally the result of a cut caused by brushing. Swallowing along with throat infections and swelling are often associated with Oral Cancer. Bad blood circulation caused by diabetes and other related blood disorders are now known to be causes. Alcohol is a major cause of triggering the cancer gene that all have in our DNA, excessive use of this drug, yes it is a drug, is not only harmful to the vital organs such as the liver and kidneys. Alcohol contains enzymes that have long been associated with cancer cell growth, and that’s in all parts of the body. In the oral area alcohol enters our mouths in its rawest form and is totally undiluted by our body’s defences. That makes Oral Cancer one of the most prolific cancers that affects us, and one of the hardest to detect in the early stages. A simple regime of oral hygiene will greatly reduce our chances of Oral Cancer, as will a reduction or a complete stoppage of too much alcohol and tobacco consumption. Thankfully today our dentists are more aware of this disease and are helping in the battle to reduce Oral Cancers, but you need to be vigilant and make sure you get your 6 monthly check ups.

Tooth decay is the disease which is the most common cause of pain in patients, say a dentist from SE1 in London. It usually starts off in early life and quickly gets a grip to follow us all through our teens and adulthood. The most disturbing thing is that it is so easily prevented if an Oral Hygiene regime is taught and adhered to from an early age. Tooth decay is caused mainly by the build up of acid that is prevalent in bacteria and food deposits that sit in between our teeth, the build up eats away at the enamel and gets in between fillings and cracks in our teeth. This is especially damaging to young teeth and is now the most common cause of mouth problems in the world. It’s a big problem to solve as it mostly occurs in children and is often associated with a bad diet. As parents and relatives of children we buy them sweets which contain all the wrong things for their teeth. Sugar and bad fats are the most deadly of them and these are the worse enemies of our teeth, they all have acids in them which cause cavities that need filling, then the bacteria and acid gets into and below the fillings. Tooth ache follows and the only real way to eliminate the problem is a root canal treatment, and more fillings. Using a fluoride toothpaste and teaching the children to floss and brush properly, will go a long way to preventing the decay that will follow them through life. It takes just a few minutes a day to keep the decay away, but the regime must become a habit or the whole process is worthless. The old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away should be applied to flossing and brushing, for these two simple applications will indeed keep the dentist away.

Gum Disease should be a thing of the past says a dentist from SE1 in London. It is so easily prevented by a simple regime of controlled and habitual oral care and hygiene. Every dentist has an oral hygiene nurse and when we go to have our 6 monthly check up we should talk to them. Preventative dentistry is as important as repairing and curing gum disease, which by the way is incurable. Most people who have constant and depleting gum disease are exasperating the condition by not brushing their teeth properly or for long enough. Your teeth should be cleaned after every meal, but in the absence of the opportunity to do that you should clean your teeth when you get up and go to bed. Rinsing with a quality mouthwash will also help, but it isn’t a `be all and end all` of cleaning the gums and teeth. Flossing is another much missed opportunity to keep bacteria at bay, especially as most gum diseases are caused by food residue lodged in between the teeth. Once a gum disease like Gingivitis takes a hold there is no cure, the best we can hope for is a delay in the disappearance of the gums. Even slight gum disease is hard to eliminate once it occurs and again this is easily prevented by a good and regular regime. Bad breath is a sign of lodged food in between the teeth, and that in itself should sound the alarm bells about gum disease. If you can’t manage to brush your teeth after every meal, then carrying some floss sticks around is the next best thing, they have a floss hoop at the top and a pick point at the other end, this alone will go a long way to keeping bad bacteria away from the gums.