A recent survey carried out for a UK disposal company has revealed the top ten pong’s that really turn our British noses up. Not surprisingly bad breath came in at number 3.

The Top Ten Pongs are-

1. Babies Nappies
2. Sewers on a hot day
3. Bad Breath
4. Wet Dog
5. Flatulence
6. Human Sweat
7. Rotten Food
8. Smoking
9. Smelly Feet
10. The “juice” at the bottom of your bin

At Smile Essential Dentist, Leicester, we can help you with Bad Breath with dental treatments being simple and effective. I’m afraid the other 9 pongs we cannot help you with.

1. Enamel is the hardest surface in the body… and also one of the most easily broken.

It might sound surprising, but it probably shouldn’t be. Take a tap on your teeth… they’re pretty tough. Even your bones aren’t that hard! But since our teeth are exposed to all kinds of other hard surfaces, bacteria, and food reactions, it’s a lot easier to chip a tooth or invite tooth decay than it is to break a bone.

2. Chocolate is good for your teeth… but also bad.

Sometimes you just can’t catch a break. On the one hand, chocolate is made from a cocoa bean that possesses pro-tooth antibacterial properties. On the other, chocolate is also sticky and contains a lot of sugar, which clings to teeth and wears away at enamel. What’s a chocolate lover to do? (Well, other than brush, floss, and rinse… that helps!)

3. Braces cause cavities.

“Wait,” you’re thinking. “I thought my dentist wanted me to wear braces?” Well, your dentist may very well have referred you to an orthodontist, but while braces are important for many reasons, they actually encourage plaque growth. That’s because food particles build up around the metal, which blocks the tongue from tending to its natural tooth-cleaning duties.

4. Bleeding means more brushing.

If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, you might think that more brushing seems counterintuitive. But unless you bled from pressing too hard with your brush (something you should never do), bleeding gums are typically a sign of infection. To battle it, you need to see a dentist and step up your oral hygiene right away… and that begins with better brushing, twice a day.

1. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day to banish bad breath. While you’re brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste, brush your tongue – especially the back of the tongue. Brushing your tongue will remove smelly bacteria that cause bad breath. One study found that by brushing the tongue, volunteers reduced their perception of bad breath by 70%. You can also buy inexpensive tongue scrapers at most pharmacies.

2. Floss once a day for fresh breath. Flossing is a must. Flossing gets out hidden food particles and removes plaque, a coating of bacteria that forms around the tooth. Flossing also helps prevent periodontal disease another common cause of bad breath.

3. Gargle with mouthwash. An antimicrobial mouthwash is important if you have a problem with excess plaque.

4. Don’t let your mouth get dry. Stay hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water (eight glasses a day are recommended). Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, as both contribute to dehydration, as well as sugary and acidic juices that can also contribute to the problem.

5. Be careful what you eat. Certain foods, particularly garlic and onions, are notorious for creating bad breath. Some foods though actually help your breath to stay fresh such as apples, mint, celery and parsley.

6. Chew gum. Chewing gum will help with bad breath because the chewing action results in more saliva being produced. Some gums use xylitol as a sugar substitute that actually works to prevent bacteria from replicating in the mouth.

7. Quit smoking and avoid tobacco products. If you ever needed another reason to quit, here’s an easy one: smoking contributes to bad breath. Tobacco tends to dry out your mouth and can leave an unpleasant smell that lingers even after brushing your teeth.

If you’re concerned and would like to learn about what’s causing your bad breath, consider scheduling an appointment with your dentist. Given your full medical and dental history along with an oral examination, your dentist should be able to identify the culprit. The causes of bad breath are numerous and include certain foods, alcohol or cigarettes, poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease diabetes, dry mouth, sinus or throat infections, lung infections or abscesses, kidney/liver/ gastrointestinal diseases.

What a pleasant surprise this testimonial was when opening our messages this week.

I’d like to express my personal experience’s with Smile Essential.

For years I had left my dental care as I didn’t like going to the dentists (from bad experiences), but eventually I plucked up the courage and went.

What a surprise I was in for , polite friendly staff who explained everything at every part of the way. No pressure that you might expect from a private practice or up-selling just looking out for my own interests and teeth!

To date I have had to have some fillings and a root canal. I was wary of each one but you do not even feel the needle going in! To numb the area ,they use numbing cream before hand. The root canal did not hurt what so ever, (however there was a throbbing pain afterwards for about 12 hours but nothing compare to the sensitivity that I had felt before hand)

Keep it up Smile Essential.

Mr P.J.W, Leicester

Smile Essential Dentist- Leicester