- Brush for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean between teeth with floss or an inter-dental brush.
- Bleeding gums are a sign of poor oral healthcare. Don’t ignore them!
- Cut down the frequency of sugary foods and drinks.
- Regular hygiene care promotes prevention of gum disease.
Five things you might not know about keeping a healthy mouth
March 25th, 2010Milk teeth matter
March 17th, 2010We all know what will bring a smile to a child’s face but it appears that parents across the country are failing to maintain those beautiful beams.
Unfortunately the misconception among parents is that ‘milk teeth don’t matter’ and children only need strict brushing routines and dentist visits when their adult teeth arrive.
Survey findings issued by the British Dental Health Foundation reveal that 25% of parents with children under the age of five believe they do not need to brush twice a day, 23% think there is no need for them to avoid fizzy drinks and 67% believe that brushing for just one minute is ok – rather than the recommended two minutes.
We recommend that brushing at the end of each day be closely supervised until children reach 7-8 years of age and fairly regular supervision continues until they are 10.
Smoothies; healthy or harmful?
March 17th, 2010Although fruit smoothies are packed full of fresh fruit and fibre – and count towards one of the all-important ‘five a day’ – they actually contain heaps of sugar, particularly the banana-based varieties. A staggering seven teaspoons of sugar can be found in many 100ml servings – that’s more than in a cola!
They are also high in acid and this is where the problem lies as far as your teeth are concerned.
A large quantity of fruit is required to make even a small smoothie and because it is concentrated the acid can literally wash away tooth enamel.
Advice is to limit the amount of smoothies you and your family consumes and if you can’t resist, make sure you drink them through a straw, which keeps the acid away from your teeth. You should also follow them with a small cube of cheese, which helps to bring down the acidity levels in your mouth. Ideally for children you should dilute juices, give them at mealtimes and do not brush for at least one hour after drinking the juice (or taking acidic food), because your tooth enamel will be temporarily softened and brushing can damage it.
Brush your teeth at least TWICE a Day…
March 17th, 2010Avoid toothache by brushing twice daily for two minutes
Have healthy teeth and avoid toothache by:
- brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste
- enjoying a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, not smoking and limiting your alcohol intake. This is good for your whole body, including your teeth, gums and mouth
- establishing a good dental health routine to help you and your children have healthy teeth for life
- having regular dental examinations that allow your dentist to spot any problems early and deal with them swiftly
Don’t put off going for a dental examination because detecting problems early can mean they’re easier to treat. If problems are not treated, they may lead to damage that is harder, or even impossible, to repair.
