Below are some of our helpful tips for teeth and gums!

BALANCED EATING
Plenty of fruit and vegetables, protein and carbohydrates, give you all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to grow and repair itself.

Tooth decay is caused by the bacteria in dental plaque breaking down sugar in the foods and drinks that you eat and drink.

Therefore cutting down the amount of sugary food and drink is important.

If you do not keep up a good oral hygiene routine, decay will eventually set in some or most of teeth. Dental plaque will soon harden to form a dense chalky material called calculus - your dentist or hygienist has to remove this.

YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
Dentists recommend you brush your teeth and gums with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day. We recommend using electric sonic toothbrushes. Choose a small to medium sized brush, with soft, multi tufted, nylon bristles. Use a separate toothbrush or tongue scraper to lightly brush your tongue. Daily rinsing with an anti-bacterial or anti-odour mouthwash is also helpful.

FLOSS REGULARLY
Cleaning in between your teeth with dental floss or interdental brush daily helps prevent decay. It removes the plaque forming on your teeth and reduces the likelihood of acid attack. 

DRINK LOTS OF WATER
All water contains some fluoride. Research suggests that fluoridated water is the most effective way of reducing dental inequalities. Fluoride can considerably benefit dental health by strengthening the tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid attacks that can cause tooth decay.

HAVE REGULAR CHECKUPS
Our dentists review how frequently you need a checkup. The National Institute of Clinical excellence (NICE) recommend an interval of between 3 and 24 months if you are over 18 and between 3 and 12 months if you are under 18.  If decay is treated early, a filling will usually be sufficient to prevent the decay spreading to the pulp chamber within the tooth.

We may also advise you to visit our dental hygienist who can remove plaque build-up and calculus from your teeth and show you the best ways to keep your teeth clean and healthy. Our hygienist works closely with the peridontologist and the general practioners to achieve the optimum result. A visit to the hygienist is absolutely essential!

START YOUNG!
There are several things you can do to make sure your children’s teeth are healthy. 
1_Cut down on sugary, fizzy drinks and sweets. Instead of sweets or biscuits, give cheese or fruits as snacks between meals. Reducing sugar intake to two snacks a day, rinsing with water afterwards, will have a positive effect on decay activity.
2_Use sugar-free medications, where they are available.
3_Do not add sugar or put sugary drinks in a baby’s bottle. Only give water or milk in bottles – juice should be diluted and drunk from a cup.
4_Don’t put anything sweet on dummies. 
5_Drinking milk and eating calcium rich foods such as cheese helps teeth to develop.