Without a good oral hygiene plan you will be fighting a losing battle with your teeth, advises a Brentwood dentist. The importance of a good workable plan and a disciplined attitude cannot be emphasised enough, it is as essential as any other type of health plan. Bad breath is just one of the drawbacks of a lax or bad regime in oral care, there is no excuse for it as all dentist surgeries now have an oral hygiene nurse who will offer advice and leaflets. Prevention is always better than a cure as any dentist will tell you, and it takes just a few minutes, a few times a day, to give you a nice smile, clean breath and trouble free teeth. First off we should get into the habit of cleaning the mouth throughout the day, and not just in the morning or last thing at night. The main cause of tooth decay is acid build up produced by bacteria feeding off the residue in between our teeth; this also makes tartar which is that rough material around the bottom of our teeth. Gum disease is also caused by bacteria, a lax or improper brushing method will cut the gums and allow the bacteria to seep inside, this will then form into more serious infections and the end result is a premature loss of our teeth. Flossing is the most underrated part of cleaning our molars, yet it will remove the most amount of plaque in the most awkward of places, brushing alone won’t do this and it is also important to floss after each meal or snack. We need saliva to counter-act the acid build up that attacks the tooth enamel, and when we are sleeping this gland stops working, so in the morning we have a huge amount of plaque to get rid of. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

The health and appearance of your teeth is very much dependant on how well you take care of them. Dental hygiene is fundamental to having healthy teeth that are free from decay and painful infections and it really is a matter of following a few simple rules.

The first and most important aspect of dental hygiene is brushing. This should be done twice a day fro three minutes using an appropriate brush and paste. A Chelmsford dentist can recommend the most suitable equipment for your teeth at your next check up. You should brush your teeth with the bristles at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the tooth pointing towards the gums. This helps to remove plaque and bacteria that build up on the enamel of the tooth that cause decay and gum disease.

Next to brushing is flossing, the second most important aspect of dental hygiene. Flossing between the teeth cleans the areas which are difficult or impossible to clean with a brush. These are often the places where the plaque and bacteria build up the most, attacking and wearing away the enamel causing decay and ultimately painful infection and tooth loss. It also helps to remove trapped food particles that are responsible for over 90 per cent of cases of bad breath.

Other cleaning devices such as tongue scrapers and inter-dental brushes are also useful in the battle against plaque. Mouthwashes may be useful but can also cause further dental hygiene issues so you should always ask your dentist before using them. Finally, it is crucial that this hygiene routine is backed up by regular visits to your dentist. They can spot the first signs of decay and disease and advise on the most effective ways to keep your mouth and teeth healthy. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford

Bad breath is often something even our best friends daren’t mention for fear of upsetting us, yet if we know about it and seek some simple advice, we can avoid it. The problem is that it is often down to some bad habits we have as individuals, says a Colchester dentist. There isn’t a cure as such; it is just a matter in most cases of changing our eating and lifestyle habits. The liver is a vital organ that gets rid of toxins in the body; it also produces chemicals that are responsible for bad breath. Bad breath in some cases is just a matter of what we eat, foods such as spicy curries can leave an odour on the breath that lingers and dries the saliva that we produce to neutralise bacteria in the mouth. Bacteria is good for us in the first instance, but after it has done its job in breaking down our food, it needs to be got rid of. Flossing and mouth washing are a start, but just a simple routine like drinking water throughout the day will also help. Alcohol is a major cause of bad breath, it makes the liver work overtime and is a warning to us that our intake is above safety levels; the liver gives us bad breath for this reason. A lax attitude in oral care is also a major cause, as well as certain conditions like diabetes. Seeing a dental hygienist or your doctor is a good place to start, brushing your teeth after every meal will also stop the build up of bacteria that cause the problem. Make sure that you use a good mouthwash, and taking care to avoid gum diseases like Gingivitis will also bring bad breath to an end, giving up smoking can also help. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.