You’re suffering miserably from a tooth ache and the dentist’s office is closed. What can you do to relieve the pain temporarily? Ibuprofen works miracles and is great for inflammatory problems such as tooth and gum pain. Take 800 milligrams of Ibuprofen every 4 hours or as needed. This is only a temporary fix and you need to see a dentist if the problem persists. A second option is clove oil which is available at all health food stores. Dip the tip of a cotton swab with the oil and dab onto the aching tooth. You should begin feeling some relief almost immediately. Be careful though as clove oil is extremely effective because it is an antibacterial, an antiseptic and an analgesic. It is also extremely powerful so avoid getting too much extra on your gums as this may irritate them. These are only quick fixes and should never be thought of as a cure. A more dangerous underlying illness could be hidden and masking the pain is never a good idea.  If you are in London you can visit these London dentists.

Always see a doctor for pain that lasts for more than one day.

Do you have dinosaur breath? It is a common misconception that bad breath comes from not brushing your teeth. While this does contribute to a person having bad breath, there are many other reasons for chronic halitosis (bad breath). Not brushing and flossing, tooth decay, severe dry mouth, illness, gum disease and smoking, just to name a few. Hormonal changes have even been implicated with bad breath. During menstruation, estrogen causes sloughing of body lining tissue including that of the mouth. This gives additional nutrition for anaerobic bacteria. Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream also cause bad breath. We all know about onions and garlic, but did you know that sugar is a problem? It is because all bacteria thrive in a sugar environment. Don’t be fooled by the false sense of minty taste. Taste is merely one of our five senses. You can have a great taste in your mouth, but the fumes you are exhaling can be an offensive smell to someone else.

Coffee is a problem because it is acidic. This causes the bacteria to reproduce very rapidly and therefore leads to instantaneous “coffee breath”. This takes place whether the coffee has caffeine or not. Alcohol causes horrible bad breath and lousy taste. Alcohol makes the mouth extremely dry and will cause instant bad breath. It doesn’t matter if the alcohol is in wine, beer or even commercial mouthrinse. In addition, several studies have shown that too much alcohol over a period of time can destroy oral tissue.

Regular dental check-ups are key to having a healthy mouth. Most of us assume that if there is no pain in our mouths that everything is fine. To the contrary, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Gum disease can sneak up on you as well as many other oral problems. Tooth decay can be a gradual process and is not necessarily contributed solely to sugar intake. Heredity plays a big part when it comes to our teeth. Many foods also contribute to dental problems. Popcorn is one of the top culprits when it comes to brittle teeth being damaged during the chewing stage. Pasta and other starchy foods contribute to excess plaque on teeth. Brushing alone will not completely clean teeth properly. Flossing is recommended as a precaution for clearing away trapped food that brushing alone just can not get. Tooth decay can easily turn into an abscessed tooth which is literally a dead tooth. This type of decay can be deadly and extremely painful due to the pressure build up from the pus deep inside of the tooth. The pus inside of the tooth must be drained by a dentist and proper dental care given to the tooth. The infection from the abscessed tooth can deliver bacteria to other parts of the body and cause abnormal blood clotting in arteries and veins. The blood clot can then go on to cause the sufferer a heart attack or even a stroke. Gingivitis is another oral problem. This disease causes the gums to bleed. Untreated gingivitis can easily turn into periodontitis which can lead to loss of bone which anchors the teeth into the sockets and left untreated will eventually lead to the loss of teeth. Regular six month check-ups can prevent many dental problems. It is important that children start seeing a dentist by the age of three. Future problems can be prevented by starting early dental care while children are still in the bottle feeding stage. Sugary drinks and milk should be avoided when laying a baby down for bed. Tooth decay (which can require tooth whitening) can not possibly be eliminated altogether, but you can take control of your health by scheduling regular visits to the dentist.