positive.
Coupled with this are a myriad of mouth and gum infections and drug side effects that people living with HIV have to deal

with on a regular basis. These range from fungal infections to gum disease or severe bone loss which, if not treated quickly, can lead to the complete loss of all your gnashers.
Unless you are registered with a dentist and have seen them in the last year, a high street dentist has no legal responsibility to come to your aid. All HIV clinics can now refer you to good and competent local dental practices that are used to treating people with HIV, and some HIV clinics now have dental clinics attached to them.
Good dental hygiene is fairly straightforward. As long as you carry out simple precautions, most severe dental problems can be avoided.

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Kiran Eldridge, a specialist dentist for people with HIV in South London, explains her golden rules:

"Firstly, visit your dentist for a check-up at least once a year, even if you have no pain, and always complete a course of treatment.
Secondly, avoid sugar in your diet as much as possible to prevent tooth decay and cavities.
Thirdly, brush your teeth twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste.

Brushing properly is essential and many people may need flossing advice. However I advise against using an abrasive toothpaste or brushing too vigorously.
If you're unhappy about telling your regular dentist that you're HIV positive, discuss this first with your clinic. They should be able to put you in touch with a local HIV friendly dentist or a dedicated HIV dental service.
The mouth is often the first place under attack by HIV. In the early days of the epidemic many people with HIV showed symptoms first in the mouth. Often it's the site for early infections when the immune system is severely depleted.