Good Dental Care
Your
teeth are important - not only do they help you chew your food, but
they help you talk properly and give your face its correct shape.
If you do not follow good basic dental care, you can develop
tooth decay. To repair this you may need fillings, crowns or inlays.
Untreated tooth decay can lead to infection of the tooth nerve, or
even an abscess, which would require root canal treatment by your
dentist.
Gum disease is the largest cause of tooth loss in
adults - and it is both treatable and preventable.
It makes sense
to look after your teeth and gums. Prevention is much better than the
cure
Tooth decay
Tooth
decay occurs when sugar in the food we eat is converted by the
bacteria in plaque to produce acid. This acid then attacks the clear
enamel that coats our teeth, allowing tooth decay to occur - what
dentists call "dental caries".
SUGAR + PLAQUE
(bacteria) = ACID + TOOTH ENAMEL = TOOTH DECAY (dental caries)
Prevention
Eat
Well
The
main factor in tooth decay is not how much sugar you eat, but how
often you eat it. It takes around 40 minutes for the mouth to cancel
the acid produced from eating or drinking sugar.
It is best if
you can limit your food intake to three good meals a day, and try to
avoid snacking and sugary foods and drinks.
An alternative to
sweet snacks can be cheese, biscuits or fruit. Another factor in
tooth decay is food acid, so avoid citrus fruits as snacks
Brush
Regularly
You
should brush your teeth at least twice a day. Generally, your
toothbrush should have a small head and soft bristles. Change your
toothbrush regularly.
Brush your teeth using short up-and-down
strokes - don't scrub along your teeth as it can damage your teeth
and gums.
Interdental
Cleaning
Brushing
is just the first step in cleaning your teeth. You also need to clean
between the teeth, to remove any food particles or plaque that your
toothbrush can't reach and prevent cavities forming.
Dental floss
or tape, is held in the fingers and you run it back and forth through
all the gaps between your teeth.
An interdental brush can be even
more effective than floss or tape, as the brush bristles can adapt
better to the shape of your teeth. Place it between the teeth and use
an in-and-out motion, not up-and-down.
Fluoride
Fluoride
strengthens tooth enamel, thus helping to fight tooth decay. Many
public water supplies have fluoride added at the optimal strength of
1ppm (part per million). Bottled water or filtered tap water may not
provide the fluoride you need. Many toothpastes also contain
fluoride.
If your teeth are not receiving enough fluoride, your
dentist can apply a fluoride treatment for you.
Visit your dentist
regularly