If it has been some time since your last hygiene appointment with Annette or Maryam, we just wanted to let you know that they do have appointments available. They both do a lot more than just give your teeth a thorough cleaning, they also talk to you about all aspects of your oral health including diet, brushing techniques and what other tools could protect your teeth and gums.

So, what is the advice and what are the tools?

Well, gum disease (periodontitis) is the most common cause of tooth loss in the U.K. and happens when bacteria in the mouth forms plaque which is the soft white sticky deposits on your teeth. When the gums become irritated and inflamed by this plaque they swell and cover the bacteria. This makes it difficult for you to remove the bacteria without visiting us here at the practice.

We would advise all of our patients to brush, floss and rinse twice a day, and depending on the advice given by Annette or Maryam you may also be advised to use one of the following:

Interdental brushes

In the practice you have probably seen the small brushes which come in a variety of colours (the most popular brand being TePe). The reason these interdental brushes come in such a range of colours is that they are colour coded by size. The larger the spaces between your teeth, the larger the brush you’ll have to use to effectively clean between your teeth and remove harmful bacteria and food debris. Cleaning with an interdental brush prevents gum inflammation, cavities and bad breath.

Tongue scraper

This device will help to remove bacteria and food debris from your tongue and is particularly helpful in patients with halitosis (bad breath). Almost half of our oral bacteria live on and in the deep crevices of our tongue; the scraping action of a tongue scraper collects these toxic tongue coatings (which can range in colour from clear, white, yellow, or green).

An electric toothbrush

We are often asked by patients whether electric or manual toothbrushes are the best option and our reply is that brushing twice daily is more important that what kind of brus you’re using.  

The choice is highly personal and whichever hygienist you see here at the practice will be able to work out the dental routine to best protect your oral health.

The range of electric toothbrushes is mindboggling and could take up an article entirely on it’s own, so perhaps our best option is to refer you to a Which report outlining the choices by clicking here.

Our goal here at London Holistic Dental Centre is to keep your mouth and gums in the best condition possible and to prevent you needing invasive treatments. The best way to do this is regular thorough deep cleanings by either one of our wonderful hygienists. If it’s been some time since your last appointment then why not call us today and get your mouth back it’s healthiest best.