Brushing and Healthy Mouth Advice

A good brushing technique will take 2 minutes.

• Brush your teeth twice a day, before bed and one other time
• Use a timer or listen to your favorite song to make sure you are spending the right amount of time brushing.
• Brush in big circles, starting one side first and working your way round to the other side, top and bottom.
• Clean behind your teeth as well as the front
• Floss daily and use an 'inter-space' toothbrush to get to any smaller areas
• Use a fluoride (alcohol free) mouthwash in the evening after brushing; this will help prevent tooth decay
• Change your toothbrush every 3 months or when visibly worn

We are always told that eating a healthy and well balanced diet is a really important part of looking after ourselves but did you know that good eating habits can also help keep your teeth and gums healthy too?

Each time you have sugary foods or drinks, your teeth will be exposed to acid attack for up to one hour. This is because the sticky coating left on your teeth reacts with the bacteria in plaque and produces harmful acids. Limiting your intake of sugary foods or drinks will reduce the risk of decay.

It's really important to adopt good eating and brushing habits from an early age and especially during pregnancy when hormonal changes can result in changes in the mouth.

Encouraging our children to have good eating habits and showing them how to brush well, will lower their risk and help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Whatever age you are, it's never too late to Love Your Smile.

Here's a few tips

• Cut down on sugary drinks, even the diet varieties and limit fruit juice to one glass a day with a meal.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep you hydrated.
• Avoid too many sugary foods and snacks instead choose dentally healthy foods such as raw vegetables, nuts, cheese
• To maintain a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups
• Limit the number of snacks you eat in between meals and remember that foods eaten as part of a meal cause less harm because saliva helps wash foods from the mouth which lessen the effects of harmful acids.

It has become increasingly common to lose teeth through gum disease. During your examination at the practice, your dentist will be able to confirm if you have gum disease and may refer you to see the hygienist. Seeing the hygienist is a really important way to ensure long term health for your mouth.

If you have any concerns about the freshness of your breath please do not be embarrassed to tell our dentists and hygienists. Once we are aware of your concerns we can act to ensure your confidence is restored quickly.

Our hygienist provides a high level of care for your gum health to ensure a clean fresh breath.

Hygienist Appointments -All appointments booked with our Dental Hygienists are to be paid in full at the time of booking.

To avoid wasted clinical time, late arrivals, short notice cancellations (less than one full working days’ notice) or a missed Hygienist appointments are charged at the FULL hygiene session rate.