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The importance of telling your dentist about any changes to your general health has been underlined in a timely reminder issued by the British Dental Health Foundation.
” It is especially important to tell them if you are pregnant or have heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease or have ever had a stroke. You also need to tell them about any medicines you are taking as these can affect both your treatment and the health of your mouth”, says the Foundation.
Gum disease is another major issue raised by the Foundation, which comments that although there is some evidence that gum disease runs in families, the main cause is the plaque which forms on the surface of your teeth. To prevent periodontal gum disease, you need to make sure you remove all the plaque from your teeth every day.
Your Chelsea dentist will also show you how to effectively remove the soft plaque yourself, by cleaning all the surfaces of your teeth thoroughly at home. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria and biofilm which forms on the teeth and gums every day, and leaflets are available from the Chelsea Clinic to help you with your home treatment.
When you make one of your regular visits to your dentist or hygienist at the Chelsea Dental Clinic, your teeth will be given a thorough clean to remove any scale or tartar, which may take a number of sessions. Periodontal Gum disease is an on-going problem, but with routine home care you can slow down its progress and even stop it altogether. It’s important to remove plaque every day, and have regular check-ups with your Chelsea Dental Clinic dentist and hygienist, as often as they recommend.
The importance of telling your dentist about any changes to your general health has been underlined in a timely reminder issued by the British Dental Health Foundation.
It is especially important to tell them if you are pregnant or have heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease or have ever had a stroke. You also need to tell them about any medicines you are taking as these can affect both your treatment and the health of your mouth”, says the Foundation.
Gum disease is another issue raised by the Foundation, which comments that although there is some evidence that gum disease runs in families, the main cause is the plaque which forms on the surface of your teeth. To prevent gum disease, you need to make sure you remove all the plaque from your teeth every day.
When you make one of your regular visits to your dentist or hygienist at the Chelsea Dental Clinic, your teeth will be given a thorough clean to remove any scale or tartar, which may take a number of sessions.
Your Chelsea dentist will also show you how to effectively remove the soft plaque yourself, by cleaning all the surfaces of your teeth thoroughly at home. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria which forms on the teeth and gums every day, and leaflets are available from the Chelsea Clinic to help you with your home treatment.
Gum disease is an on-going problem, but with routine home care you can slow down its progress and even stop it altogether. It’s important to remove plaque every day, and have regular check-ups with your Chelsea Dental Clinic dentist and hygienist, as often as they recommend.
Most of us have experienced the shock to the system when hit by a noticeably unpleasant odour exhaled on the breath of someone in close proximity.
Bad breath, or halitosis, is a subject that needs little introduction, We are all familiar with how the consumption of foods such as garlic and onions can affect our ‘morning after’ breath, which fortunately needs be only temporary and which can be overcome by some simple remedies.
Your Chelsea dentist will tell you that most breath odour problems come from food particles trapped in our mouths, where they become a breeding ground for bacteria. Other causes can include poor oral health, failing to clean dentures, periodontal disease and smoking. Bad breath can also be sign of an underlying medical condition of the stomach, lungs and bloodstream.
Another cause of halitosis is dry mouth, when saliva, our natural mouthwash, decreases, leaving the mouths natural ability to clean itself impaired. Alcohol, some medications, breathing through the mouth instead of the nose or a salivary gland disorder can contribute to having a dry mouth.
Ways to combat bad breath include brushing your teeth and tongue, and rinsing your mouth thoroughly, after every meal to remove food particles; regular visits to your Chelsea dentist and Hygienist to rule out gum disease and to correct any faulty fillings or crowns which can trap food in the mouth; chew sugarless gum or suck a lozenge to increase the flow of saliva, and take a regular drink of water.
Remember that alcohol and caffeine can dry the mouth, and that smoking, tar and nicotine can build up on the surface of the teeth, tongue and cheeks. It can also dry the mouth and inhibit saliva flow.
Chlorophyll is a natural breath freshener found in leafy green vegetables like parsley, while a few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil applied to the tongue or toothbrush can help freshen the breath – and their antibacterial properties can kill mouth bacteria.
Your hygienist at the Chelsea Dental Clinic will always be happy to advise on how to avoid that bad breath problem.
These days a tongue piercing is a popular fashion statement in the western world, and has been available since the Aztecs used it as one way to honour the gods.
But if you are thinking of having a tongue stud or jewel attached, it may be worth discussing it with one of our experts at your next appointment at Chelsea Dentists.
Research in the USA points to the risk of gaps appearing between front teeth, as well as potential infections and chipped teeth, any of which could lead to the need for cosmetic dentistry.
Problems can arise if people with tongue piercings get into the habit of pushing their prized stud or jewel against their teeth, which over a period of time can cause unsightly gaps to appear in the upper front teeth.
Tongue piercing can cause infections, speech impediments, breathing problems, broken teeth and the risk of infection, says the British Dental Association (BDA).
The BDA recommends that people should ask their dentists for advice on oral hygiene while the piercing is healing.
This includes advice on brushing to avoid inflaming the tongue and the need to use mouthwash to clean the bits of the mouth which the brush cannot reach.
Certainly, if you are thinking of having your tongue pierced then a discussion with a hygienist at the Chelsea Dental Practice before you decide could benefit your future dental health.
People who don’t brush their teeth twice a day are more likely to suffer from heart disease, according to a recent study.
The study published in the British Medical Journal found that people who never or rarely brush their teeth are 70 per cent more likely to suffer from heart disease than those who brush their teeth twice a day. The study looked at the habits of 11,000 adults and found those with poor oral hygiene had a higher risk of getting heart disease, compared with those who brushed twice a day.
The study backs up previous research linking gum disease with heart disease. It is known that inflammation in the body, including in the mouth and gums, has an important role in build up of clogged arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.
However, this is the first time that researchers have examined the frequency of teeth brushing to see whether it has an impact on the risk of developing heart disease. In the study, six out of 10 people said they visited the dentist every six months and seven out of 10 reported brushing their teeth twice a day.
During the eight-year study there were 555 cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, 170 of which were fatal. Those with poor oral hygiene also tested positive in blood samples for proteins which are suggestive of inflammation.
Study leader Prof Richard Watt, from University College London, said Our results confirmed and further strengthened the suggested association between oral hygiene and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, inflammatory markers were significantly associated with very simple measure of poor oral health behaviour.
Further experimental studies will be needed to confirm whether the observed association between oral health behaviour and cardiovascular disease is in fact causal or merely a risk marker.
Treating serious gum disease in people with diabetes mellitus can help to reduce high blood sugar levels, according to a new study.
The study carried out by an inter-university research team including the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Peninsula Dental School, looked at previous research into the link between diabetes and serious gum disease.
The results showed that there is a small but potentially highly important benefit to treating periodontal disease in diabetic patients.
However, further research needs to be conducted in order to fully establish the link between the two conditions.
Currently, it is thought that dental inflammation, caused by bacteria infecting the mouth, results in chemical changes that reduce the overall effectiveness of insulin, thus leading to raised blood sugar levels.
Dental treatment to reduce oral inflammation may therefore help to lower bloody sugar levels. This means a decrease in the overall risk of contracting serious health complications associated with the condition, including heart disease and eye problems.
Prof Ian Needleman from the UCL Eastman Dental Institute called the research particularly timely because periodontal disease now affects at least 40 per cent of the UK population. And for people with diabetes the disease levels will be significantly higher.
He added: Furthermore levels of diabetes in the UK are rising rapidly and with higher prevalence amongst disadvantaged groups, periodontal health is an important priority both for prevention and treatment.
Whilst the most important aspect of insulin control in diabetes management is the use of drugs and diet, maintaining good dental health is something patients and healthcare professionals should also recognise, particularly because it is easy to treatĀ
The findings, which have been published as part of the international Cochrane Collaboration, highlight the need for doctors and dentists to work together in the treatment of diabetes.
