One of the most annoying things about oral hygiene is that it is not an exact science, as all of us in Weston-super-mare are different and what works for one person, simply won’t for another. But there are a few rules that you can bang out with your dentist to ensure you give your mouth a damn good chance of being healthy. 1: finding yourself a decent brush to scrub your teeth with important; you can go electric here too as it will do the work that you can’t, especially if you are feeling lazy- and it is also useful to find the right texture in your bristles that suit your mouth- bit hit or miss at first but persevere and you’ll get there. 2: toothpastes are designed to suit each mouth and varying conditions that your mouth may be suceptible to- again it is important to get advice from your dentist here so you get the right paste that will optimize your oral health. 3: flossing has become vastly important in oral hygiene as it can get to places in your mouth that your brush fears to tread. Finally, you can back up all of this with a decent mouthwash, the use of small inter-dental brushes and the odd herbal oil to massage your gums with. Do all of the above and you will keep your teeth to the bitter end.
Yes, I know you had a fantastic night out in Bristol and though you’ve woken up with a bit of a hangover, you’ve a pocket full of phone numbers; life’s fabulous! Now go and clean your teeth, because now you’re on a roll, you want to keep it going don’t you? Clean, healthy teeth are the first thing another person sees when you open your mouth; they almost reflect the confidence that streams out from within you. Now it’s important to keep it that way for that reason alone. But a regular floss, brush and mouth wash each day is the driving force behind maintaining a healthy mouth and lifestyle and most importantly, your overall health. Even if you miss one brush and have forgotten to remove the residue of food from the night before, bacteria can set in very quickly. If this is allowed to develop, plaque forms on the teeth and tartar builds up. Then you can start to have problems with your gums; they might bleed and weep. Next stop is tooth decay, eventually tooth loss and a second mortgage to put it all right. Not so pretty now, are you? Dentists can only try to rectify what’s put in front of them- they will do their best, but it’s down to you to do the legwork and keep up with a regular regime of oral hygiene; it should almost be automatic.
We know from archaeological evidence all over the world that we have been trying to look after our teeth for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, the first great civilisation, used twigs and leaves to keep teeth clean. Many African tribes to this day still use the ancient practice of chewing leaves with antibacterial properties to keep teeth clean. While the Egyptians may not have understood the exact science behind dental hygiene, they had certainly worked out that keeping teeth clean and healthy helped to prevent painful dental conditions in the future.
We now understand the exact scientific processes that can occur in the mouth to cause dental problems if teeth are not cleaned or cared for properly. Bath dentists recommend that patients brush their teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. This helps to remove plaque, a filmy substance rich in bacteria that releases acid and erodes the protective tooth enamel. By removing plaque you can prevent enamel erosion that can lead to dental cavities, tooth infection and in severe cases, tooth loss.
It is also vital to keep up six-monthly check-up appointments with a Bath dentist who is highly-trained to spot the first signs of tooth decay or gum disease. Catching these conditions early is critical to effective treatment that can prevent pain and further infection. Dentists can also recommend the most effective methods of cleaning and most suitable products for your individual teeth. This will almost certainly not involve any leaves or twigs but the principles first discovered by the Egyptians remain the same: look after your teeth and they will look after you.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
We know from archaeological evidence all over the world that we have been trying to look after our teeth for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, the first great civilisation, used twigs and leaves to keep teeth clean. Many African tribes to this day still use the ancient practice of chewing leaves with antibacterial properties to keep teeth clean. While the Egyptians may not have understood the exact science behind dental hygiene, they had certainly worked out that keeping teeth clean and healthy helped to prevent painful dental conditions in the future.
We now understand the exact scientific processes that can occur in the mouth to cause dental problems if teeth are not cleaned or cared for properly. Bath dentists recommend that patients brush their teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. This helps to remove plaque, a filmy substance rich in bacteria that releases acid and erodes the protective tooth enamel. By removing plaque you can prevent enamel erosion that can lead to dental cavities, tooth infection and in severe cases, tooth loss.
It is also vital to keep up six-monthly check-up appointments with a Bath dentist who is highly-trained to spot the first signs of tooth decay or gum disease. Catching these conditions early is critical to effective treatment that can prevent pain and further infection. Dentists can also recommend the most effective methods of cleaning and most suitable products for your individual teeth. This will almost certainly not involve any leaves or twigs but the principles first discovered by the Egyptians remain the same: look after your teeth and they will look after you.
