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The Importance of Dental Hygiene

The Importance of Dental Hygiene

  • Clean your teeth at least twice a day. When cleaning your teeth it is always a good idea to give your tongue a good scrub too!
  • Floss in between your teeth daily
  • Eliminate tobacco
  • Drink water after you eat to help clear your mouth of food particles and bacteria
  • Visit your dentist regularly

When we are small, dentists, parents and teachers all teach us about the importance of dental hygiene. We are taught to brush our teeth twice a day and to floss for a perfect smile, with the hope of having perfect teeth in adulthood. The good thing about dental hygiene is that it is so easy to do and takes just minutes out of our day, but the importance of it should not be underestimated.

Why is Dental Hygiene so Important?

One of the main reasons as to why dental hygiene is so important is to keep teeth and gums looking good. Good dental hygiene can help to prevent cavities and in the worst case scenario – losing teeth. A healthy mouth however not only looks good, but smells good too! There is nothing worse than bad breath (halitosis) as I’m sure you know. Good dental hygiene keeps the teeth free of plaque and free of debris and gum disease – the main causes of halitosis. There is also a known connection between gum disease and heart attacks. Another good reason to look after your oral hygiene!

How Can A Dentist Help?

When you visit your dentist for a check-up he will not only be looking at your teeth, but your gums and mouth as well. Your dentist can help to clean your teeth but he will advise you that prevention is always the best option. Poor dental hygiene can lead to gum disease and also oral cancer in some cases. Your dentist will know how to recognise the symptoms for both diseases, and both can be cured if caught early enough.

Prevention is the Key

Although the diseases associated with poor dental hygiene can be cured, I am sure you would agree that not getting them in the first place would be better. Below are a few tips to follow to ensure that your teeth and gums remain healthy:

Many people underestimate the importance of dental hygiene until they find themselves with poor oral health. Making good dental hygiene a daily habit is the best way to ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy, and it only takes a few minutes each day.

Attack of the Sugar Monsters! Invisible threats to your Beautiful Smile!

Sugars attack your teeth!

Invisible germs called bacteria live in your mouth all of the time.

Some of these bacteria form a sticky material called plaque which sits on the surface of your teeth.

When you put sugar in your mouth, the bacteria in the plaque eat up the sugar and turn into acids.

These acids are powerful enough to dissolve the hard enamel that covers your teeth.

That’s how cavities get started.

If you don’t eat much sugar, the bacteria can’t produce as much of the acid that eats away enamel. So be careful! We don’t want this to happen to you.

The best way to manage your sugar intake it to create a diet diary, note everything you eat over the space of three days then discuss it with your dentist. Work out how much sugar ( obvious and hidden!) you have and then work on how to reduce it.

What should you know about gum disease?

Gum disease is a bacterial infection that destroys the attachment fibres and supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth.  Left untreated this disease can lead to tooth loss.  The first signs of gum disease are reddened, swollen or bleeding gums caused by the build up of plaque and known as ‘gingivitis’.  This can be easily prevented by good oral hygiene at home and with the assistance of your dental hygienist. 

Are you at risk?

Some people are genetically predisposed to gum disease so it’s a good idea to check if either of your parents lost teeth as a result of gum disease.

 Smoking can hide the signs of gum disease as well as reduce the positive effects of any treatment. Not to mention all the other harmful effects not related to your gums!

 Stress has been shown to reduce resistance to gum disease meaning people can be susceptible at different times in their lives depending on their lifestyle.

However, regardless of your susceptibility, you and your dentist can keep gum disease in check with good oral hygiene at home combined with regular check ups and the appropriate treatment where necessary.

To book a consultation give one of our friendly team a call on 0116 2891317 or alternatively email info@smileessential.co.uk

Bad breath? Time for a coffee break

How coffee could cure bad breath

Compounds found in coffee beans prevent the release of bacteria responsible for halitosis, according to a study carried out by Tel Aviv University.  Reports from the Daily Mail and Daily Expressnote the work of Professor Mel Rosenberg, who has spent two decades studying the diagnosis and treatment of halitosis, and who is the inventor of the Dentyl range of products. He claims that while coffee has always carried a reputation for causing bad breath, tests involving the addition of black coffee to bacteria-laden saliva resulted in a reduction of odour causing gases by up to 90 per cent. 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/110048/Coffee-cures-bad-breath-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1195537/How-cup-coffee-keeps-breath-smelling-sweet.html

Whilst intriguing (I thought coffee actually caused bad breath!) the most important way to maintain nice fresh breath is to visit your dentist regularly for a checkups/hygeine and follow a good at home cleaning routine.

If your worried or concerned about your dental care why not book in for a check up or a free consultation with a member of the team, who can discuss your concerns.

You can drop us a call on 0116 2891317 or email us at info@smileessential.co.uk

Tooth decay doesn’t mean the end

Many people may conjure up horrible images when they hear the words root canal, especially if they have a phobia of going to the dentist, but root canal treatment is a very safe procedure that can save a tooth. Root canal treatment is used to treat teeth that are severely decayed or damaged as a result of an accident or injury.

The root canal procedure involves removing decayed pulp tissue from the tooth; the pulp contains all the living tissue in the tooth, including the nerves and blood vessels and if the pulp becomes severely decayed, the tooth effectively dies. Root canal treatment removes all the decayed tissue and cleans the tooth so that a new crown can be placed over the tooth, creating a natural looking tooth that functions in exactly the same way as an original tooth.

If a tooth is severely decayed or damaged and it is left untreated, there is a risk of an abscess developing and the bone surrounding the affected tooth may become damaged; the condition of the tooth can quickly disintegrate and it may have to be extracted, which will create a gap in the teeth. Gaps not only affect the aesthetic of the smile but they also have an effect on the individual’s ability to eat and speak clearly.

Root canal treatment may be a daunting prospect for people who are worried about injections, pain or generally going to the dentist; however, the procedure is carried out under anaesthetic and many dentists now offer specialist services for patients with dental phobia. In the vast majority of cases the rewards of the procedure far outweigh the risks and the treatment can prevent the tooth from being lost. Root canal treatment is usually carried out over two appointments.

Painless dentistry

Visiting the dentist can sometimes give us a feeling of nervousness, but why is that? What is it about the dentist that reminds us of nothing but dental pain and anxiety?

At Smile Essential we have introduced painless dentistry, a concept many of us will find very hard to grasp. To start off what exactly is painless dentistry?

Painless dentistry can be defined as the removal of elements which our mind associates with going to see the dentist. We have set our clinic up with your relaxation in mind; we want you to feel at home and calm while you are here with us.

Of course we understand that bad memories triggered by sounds and past experiences can often cause a lot more pain and fear during a dental procedure than there actually is.

So what steps have Smile Essential taken to prevent this unwanted pain and make your procedure fear-free and pain-free?

If you have already visited us you will have noticed that we have removed all of the usual stigmas that could possibly cause you to panic. Gone are the typical white/blue clinical walls and the white dental coats. You won’t see any needles around and you won’t be greeted with the typical dental aroma’s. Our existing clients will be aware of our individual lemon aroma.

Stress can also be a powerful force in your fear of dentistry, which is why we spend a lot of time chatting with you, this allows you to feel calmer and open to chat about any fears you may have.

There are many ways to provide pain-free dental treatment, but nothing helps more than a calming atmosphere and a reassuring dentist who can put you at ease.

Here at Smile Essential we treat people as individuals. We’ll chat about any particular phobias people may have and don’t worry we’ve heard them all from the usual  i.e. needles, smell and the sound of the drill. To the more unusual from cotton wool to fish on the T.V. We’re here to help.

In addition to painless dentistry, there is also something we all can do to rid ourselves of unwanted dental pain. The best way to avoid dental problems is to go to your dentist regularly and maintain good oral hygiene, so that each time you visit it should just be to maintain your initial investment in your smile.

If you would like to benefit from a pain free dental experience please give us a call today on 0116 2891317 or send an email to info@smileessential.co.uk

Bright Start

Here at Smile Essential we believe prevention is key to maintaining good oral health. So we constantly strive to improve peoples knowledge around maintaining good oral hygiene. 

We have two Oral Health Educators at Smile Essential and we are about to have a third!

Emilia is working hard to gain a qualification to become an Oral Health Educator and is very passionate that education is key not only for children but also adults.

As part of her training and enthusiasm about National Smile Month, Emilia held an Open Day Event to educate children about tooth brushing. As you can see from the photos below the children really enjoyed themselves and learnt some valuable hands on information about Oral Health which will aid them in maintaining a Healthy Smile for life.

We always enjoy our open days and evenings it’s great for us to chat with patients and their friends in a more relaxed casual setting. We often find people feel more comfortable asking us questions at these events. We have some exciting open events for the future, so keep checking our blog and offers page for updates.

We wish Emilia all the best with her Oral Health Educator course and will keep everyone posted on her progress.