ORAL HEALTH

James Goolnik, a dentist at Bow lane Dental Group in london, recommends:

MOUTH ULCER GEL

iglu gel mouth ulcer treatment, 8g, £6.29, boots.com PAINFUL ulcers can be caused by injury and bacteria and have become more prevalent in the past year, due to stress weakening the immune system and because more people are grinding their teeth at night.

Iglu gel contains an anaesthetic that numbs the area to make life bearable while the ulcer heals.

It also provides a protective coating for the ulcer and, in my experience, the coating from Iglu lasts longer than other ulcer creams.

MOUTHWASH

curasept mouthwash, 200ml, £7.59, chemistdirect.co.uk NEARLY 90 per cent of adults have inflamed gums, caused by bacteria build-up.

This mouthwash contains chlorhexidine, which prevents bacteria multiplying. Other mouthwashes also contain chlorhexidine but it causes discoloration of teeth — Curasept, however, contains an agent to prevent this.

Use for seven days at a time.

SENSITIVE TOOTHPASTE

sensodyne rapid relief toothpaste, 75ml, £2.99, superdrug.com MANY patients complain of sensitive teeth, often caused by erosion of the dentine layer that covers the root of the tooth. This can be due to acid in the diet, which strips away the dentine and exposes nerve endings in the tooth that register pain when you eat or drink.

Before bed, rub a sensitive toothpaste on where the tooth emerges from the gum, to cover the nerve endings. This will ease discomfort while you modify your diet. If the pain doesn’t recede after a week, see a dentist. I like Sensodyne because it doesn’t contain the foaming agent SLS, which can irritate tissue in the mouth.

SORE THROAT LOZENGES

strepsils strawberry sugar free, 36 lozenges, £3.50, tesco. THESE contain two antiseptics to combat infection and ease the pain of a ssore throat.

FILLING REPAIR

toofypegs, £4.98, amazon.co.uk LOSING a filling can be uncomfortable. Use this to replace a filling or crown for a few days until you get a dental appointment.