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NAVIGATE
THE TOOTHBRUSH MAZE
This e-newsletter article
contains some information to help you to buy the best possible tooth-
brush for yourself or your family. Often to be able to brush your teeth
more effectively you first need to get a better brush!
Hard or Soft?
A good toothbrush has SOFT
bristles, most of us look for firm are hard toothbrushes because we
"feel" that this will give us a better "scrub," these
toothbrushes are in fact damaging to your gums and in certain
circumstances can also damage your teeth as well.
Size
Does matter for
toothbrushes, and the smaller the head on your toothbrush the better. Most
toothbrushes on the market are too big. The head of the toothbrush should
be no more than 1.5 cm long otherwise you will not physically be able to
get it in to all the nooks and crannies at the back of your mouth. For
very difficult areas consider using a single tufted (interdental)
toothbrush.
Electric or Manual
Many of our patients have
shown dramatic improvements in their dental health thanks to the dedicated
work of Alison our Hygienist but also by using an electric toothbrush. The
electric brushes with the round heads seem to produce the best results.
The good news is that the cheaper ones between £12 and £30 appear to
produce the same benefits as those at £50 and above.
How often should I
replace my toothbrush?
Make sure you replace your
toothbrush regularly, over time bacteria build up in the bristles and this
means that every time you clean your teeth you are adding more bacteria to
your mouth not removing them! Make sure you rinse your brush thoroughly
after every use. For manual toothbrushes replacement every 4 weeks is
recommended and for electric toothbrushes, 1-2 months between replacement
is a good idea. If the bristles of your brush become bent before this then
you should think about replacing your brush sooner (this would also
suggest that you are brushing too hard!).
Children
We strongly recommend that
an adult supervise tooth brushing in very young children as toothbrushes
may present a choking hazard if used incorrectly. We also suggest that
adults should brush their child’s teeth up to the age of six or seven as
children younger than this usually do not have adequate manual dexterity
to brush all of their teeth thoroughly. If your child is under this age
and is keen on brushing then do continue to encourage them. However, make
sure that you supervise them and that you also brush your child’s teeth
before or after they have done so themselves.
For very young babies and
toddlers we recommend child friendly brushes with big handles and very
small heads. These are available from most good manufacturers. Just
remember to use (less than) a pea size amount of toothpaste on the brush
as young children will swallow most of it since they do not yet have the
muscular control needed to spit things out effectively. TOP
NAVIGATE
THE MOUTHWASH MAZE
Are you confused by all of the mouthwashes
available on the shelves at your local supermarket? They range
dramatically in colour, packaging and price. Well follow the tips here and
you will never be confused again.
Mouthwashes come in 3 main types.
- to prevent tooth decay
- to help treat gum disease
- to help treat bad breath.
It is best to avoid types 2 and 3 unless
specifically advised by one of our dentists or the hygienist.
Mouthwashes to help avoid tooth decay are the
only ones which you should consider as an addition to your daily routine. Look
for only 2 things when shopping, chose a mouthwash that
Contains fluoride and has a low concentration of
alcohol ( or no alcohol )
You can find out the exact contents from
the label on the back of the bottle. Fluoride helps to protect teeth
against tooth decay and will actually make your teeth stronger over time.
Alcohol is best avoided as it dries the mouth out and although it will
make your mouth feel fresher shot term, it can contribute to bad breath a
few hours after use.
When using your mouthwash, make sure you rinse it
thoroughly round your mouth for a minimum of 1 minute. Take a watch into
the bathroom with you and try timing this once or twice, I guarantee you
will be surprised at how long a minute actually is! After rinsing spit out
the excess but do not rinse your mouth with water or much of the
beneficial effect will be lost.
The best time to do this is just before bed.
Finally mouthwashes are not recommended for
children under the age of 8, for them fluoride in tablet form is better,
ask one for the dentists for advice. We can issue prescriptions that will
allow you to get free fluoride for your children from any chemist.
So in summary
- choose a fluoride containing, low alcohol
mouthwash
- rinse for 1 minute last thing at night
- do not rinse with water afterwards
- SMILE and go to bed happy in the knowledge
that you are now less likely to suffer from tooth decay!
TOP
NAVIGATE
THE FLOSS MAZE
Part three of our "Navigate series" on
how to choose the best products to look after your teeth and those of your
family focuses on Dental Floss. There are thousands of brands out there to
choose from some good some not so good and some are downright awful.
First tip, forget about floss and buy DENTAL
TAPE. Floss is made of a round fibre which takes more force to get in
between your teeth and is more likely to cause pain as it hits your
gum…..OUCH!! It also misses lots of bits that tape will get into.
If you have a heavily restored mouth with lots of
fillings then flossing is very important to you. The junction between your
filling an tooth that lies in between the teeth will never ( yes NEVER )
get cleaned without using tape or something similar. Think what would
happen if you never washed between your toes………
Very smooth tapes that slip very easily between
the teeth are easier to use but tend to spread the bacteria that we are
trying to remove. So you do need a tape that has a bit of "grab"
to it and this is why Waxed or Coated tape is better.
Waxed or Coated tape is also better because it
shreds less and will be less likely to get stuck between your teeth.
Look too for Monofilament tape, this means that
instead of it shredding it will break cleanly if it hits a sharp edge on a
filling or crown. This again avoids that horrible feeling of having a bit
of last nights floss stuck in between your teeth the next morning!
If you are regularly getting dental tape stuck in
just one or two areas, then let your dentist know as it can mean there is
a problem.
Finally one last tip, wash your hands thoroughly
after flossing as some of the mint flavoured coatings can really sting if
they get in your eyes….. don’t ask how we know!
SUMMARY
- Buy TAPE not FLOSS
- Look for WAXED or COATED tape
- Change brand until you find one that does not
shred
- If all tapes shred in a specific area let the
dentist know
- Ask our hygienist for a demonstration of the
Perfect flossing technique
- If you are still having problems then maybe
you need to try other methods of cleaning between your teeth….more
in a future issue.
TOP
This is just a small sample of the knowledge that our team would liek
to share with you.
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