The value of good oral hygiene

Oral hygiene for many is often nothing more than a background afterthought. And this is the cause of dentistry in general;the best dentistry is preventative and our dentist in St.John’s Wood would prefer to keep you out of the chair!

For a lot of patients, good oral hygiene can be quite an awkward object as they believe their oral hygiene is fine and so, advice is an insult. Alternatively, they may know their oral hygiene could be better and would not like to be reminded. As medical professionals, we don’t judge our patients’ personal choices when it comes to how they wish to keep their own teeth. As long as the consequences are understood, it is important to maintain good hygiene for your health and bank balance.

A primary condition caused by oral hygiene issues is a cavity, but often, only a few of our patients know exactly how cavities are formed. Cavities are made by colonies of bacteria who attach themselves to the enamel of tooth; they digest sugar producing lactic acids much like the lactic acid that is produced in our muscles during exercise, but when it is produced at the surface of the tooth, lactic acid is particularly good at attacking the calcium compounds within the enamel. This weakens and softens the localised area and the bacterial colony exploits this getting deeper into the tooth. They do not do this in order to eat the tooth, only to provide a sheltered spot in which they can happily continue digesting the sugars from inside your mouth. It is this parasitic behaviour that results in the formation of a cavity, which will drill deeper and deeper into your tooth overtime eventually compromising structural integrity and resulting in the crumbling of the tooth.

This process accelerates over time as dentin components are weaker and more susceptible to damage by acids. The precursor to these colonies’ foothold inside your teeth is a biofilm that curved over the tooth surface. This film is called plaque and is a mix of many different bacterial species. By regularly removing plaque from your teeth and disrupting biofilm, you are preventing the next stage of the bacteria’s invasion.

Even with regular brushing of the teeth, it is tricky to remove plaque from certain spots. This includes between teeth, areas that have been damaged by cracks around bridgework, and where the dentie of the root has become exposed as gums recede.

During the early stages of a cavity,there are little to no symptoms. This is also the stage where it is easiest to treat. Catching cavities at this stage is one of the main reasons why the regular screening for cavities which occur during your six month regular checkup at our dentist in St.John’s Wood is so important.

As well as being able to see cavities at early stages by a simple examination of the enamel, our team is also able to ascertain the depth of the cavity; it is possible that quite a small hole extends deeply into the tooth.

If you are experiencing a cavity,you can get in contact with our dentist in St. John’s Wood. You can do this via the phone or email as well as the contact form on our website.