We use our mouths for many necessary things: eating, drinking, breathing, talking and kissing. We also use our mouths for many unnecessary things: opening sachets of food, holding hairpins and ink pens, chewing our fingernails. In a day, our mouths get a workout and are subject to dozens of objects and millions of germs.

Let’s take a look at some common dental health problems in London and the steps to take to avoid succumbing to them:

Toothache

Toothaches are caused by dental decay, fractures in the teeth, irritation after dental work or inflammation. Toothaches are best avoided by practising proper oral hygiene, so try to keep your teeth and gums clean and try to avoid indulging in too much sugar.

Bad Breath

Bad breath is typically caused by gum disease, tooth decay, catarrh, infections, reflux and other medical conditions affecting the oesophagus, stomach or airway. Bad breath can best be avoided by practising proper dental hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly. Adding mouthwash to your oral routine can also be effective in preventing bad breath, but it is always best to avoid an alcohol based wash, as these dry out your mouth, causing further bad breath.

Cold Sores

Cold sores are fluid-filled pustules that appear on the sides of the mouth or other swollen areas of the face. They can be painful and tender and are contagious through touch. Avoiding directly touching a cold sore and washing your hands before and after touching the mouth can help to prevent cold sores. There are a number of factors that cause cold sores, which varies from person to person, including menstruation, exposure to sunlight and fever.

We’re all feeling the pinch at the moment, looking for ways to save money and keep paying the bills, while also enjoying a few treats where possible.  It is during these times that it can be tempting to cut out things we don’t need right now, even though we may need them at some point in the future. It is amazing how many people think that preventative dentistry falls into this category and cancel dental check-ups in order to save a few pounds.

These savings could end up costing a lot more down the line.

Dental check-ups in London aren’t just an opportunity for dentists to make sure that your teeth are healthy – but also for them to check that there are no potential problems. They are looking for everything from signs of tooth decay and gum disease to oral cancer. The hygienist appointment is no less important. No matter how much time and energy we devote to cleaning our teeth, we will never do as good a job as a trained dental hygienist. This is a thorough clean which gets in all the hard-to-reach places, helping to prevent tooth decay, gum disease and reduce the need for teeth whitening.

If you are developing dental problems the sooner they are spotted, the easier (and cheaper) they are to fix. Some patients visit the dentist with severe toothache which has been bothering them for weeks, but they didn’t want to spend the money to find out what was wrong. By that time, the affected tooth has become too damaged to be saved and it has to be removed and replaced with a crown or dental implant – both very expensive procedures.

Wouldn’t it have been easier to pay a few pounds for a check-up and save all that hassle and all that money?