BRUSHING & FLUORIDE
Major dtooth-brushental diseases such as decay and periodontal/gum disease can be prevented by regular tooth brushing. We would advise brushing twice a day as a minimum, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.Dental plaque must be disturbed mechanically with a toothbrush and chemically with toothpaste if we are going to effectively remove it from our teeth. For children, brushing should start as soon as the first baby/milk tooth arrives, usually around the age of 5-6 months of age.
Children under six years of age should use a smear of toothpaste with no less than 1000ppm fluoride content (see ingredients label of toothpaste tube) and their teeth should be brushed by aparent.
Children over six can begin to use adult toothpaste (13500-1500 ppm fluoride) and brush their own teeth, however it is advised that their parents still inspect their mouths after brushing to ensure it has been done well.
Do not let children swallow toothpaste.
Children and adults should spit and not rinse out toothpaste so as to allow the fluoride to have an effect over time.
Follow the link below and download our leaflet on advice on DENTAL DECAY IN CHILDREN.
INTERDENTAL CLEANING
Brush with a medium toothbrush in small gentle circles starting from the gum level down to the edge of the tooth. Do not scrub. If this is difficult to master, an electric toothbrush will do the circular motions for you! Smile House runs frequent sales on electric toothbrushes which we will post up online.
Using Tepe brushes or floss can be an excellent aid to normal tooth brushing. Our normal toothbrush bristles do not always get inbetween
our teeth and therefore interdental (inbetween teeth) can help. Ask your dentist what size brush you should be using. Different gaps may need different sizes in the same mouth! Floss is more tricky to use so please ask your dentist to demonstrate it to you.
MOUTHWASHES
Weekly fluoride washes (0.2%) or daily washes (0.05%) are available. Corsodyl mouthwash can be used for those with gum disease (does not replace proper tooth and interdental brushing).
Follow the link below and download the PDF for the Delivering Better Oral Health Toolkit written by Public Health England.