Preventative

The main enemies facing your teeth and gums are tooth decay and gum disease. These are common problems affecting people of all ages, but they are easily prevented by brushing your teeth properly and regular check-ups by your dentist. All dentists should encourage a preventative approach to dental care and your dentist at Manor Square will advise you on the best ways to look after your own teeth and avoid future dental problems.

In these difficult financial times, it may be tempting to see a check-up at the dentist as a luxury that can be dispensed with. Unfortunately, the chances are you will just be storing up problems for a later date. If you would like an easier way of budgeting for your routine dental care, you might like to consider our Manor Square Maintenance Plan.

Your Manor Square Dentist or Therapist is very likely to recommend a hygiene visit. This is a way of thoroughly cleaning the teeth and uses a technique called PMPR. This is the removal of the bio-film which is a layer of multiple bacteria which can potentially cause problems. The clinician will discuss your oral health regime, disclose you and use airflow/perioflow where needed to disrupt this layer. As well as this they would also remove harder deposits known as calculus. These treatments will leave your mouth feeling much cleaner and fresher. It would also enable you to maintain it with your own health care routine, recommended by them at home.

Tooth decay (otherwise known as caries) is caused by bacteria that live in plaque. These bacteria feed on sugars that come from food and drink and they produce acids. The acids soften the tooth’s enamel outer surface by dissolving away its minerals. The tooth’s surface does repair itself once the sugar has been used up and the acid disappears, but the whole process starts again the next time something sweet is eaten or drunk and the plaque bacteria feed again on sugars – it’s an ongoing battle for the enamel of your teeth.

Gum disease is also caused by plaque. If the plaque isn’t removed, it can get under the gum line and attack the gums, making them red and puffy. A sign of gum disease may be some bleeding when you brush your teeth. If left untreated, gum disease can cause serious problems. The gum may start to come away from the tooth allowing more plaque to gather and, over time, the plaque will eat away at the bone that supports the tooth. This can lead to the tooth falling out or having to be removed.

Tooth erosion is the wearing away of the top enamel layer of the tooth and is caused by acidic food and drink. Erosion is serious as, once the enamel has gone, it’s gone forever. The main culprits for erosion are fruit juices, fruit smoothies and fizzy drinks as they contain high levels of acid.

• Brush your teeth twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, making sure you pay special attention to the gum line too.
• Visit your dentist regularly – they will be able to spot gum disease early on and give you advice on how best to brush your teeth and the best way to floss.
• Avoid smoking – it makes gum disease even worse
  Try to avoid acidic fizzy drinks, opting for milk or water where possible, or minimise the damage by drinking through a straw as this directs the liquid past the teeth.
• Minimise the acidic effect of healthy fruit juices or squashes by adding plenty of water to dilute the acid, and don’t swish the drink around your mouth.

Brushing your teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste not only helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease, it can also prevent bad breath. You need to make sure you brush all the visible surfaces of each tooth using small circular movements. Concentrate on the nooks and crannies, the surfaces at the back of your top and bottom front teeth, and don’t miss the hard-to-reach areas at the back of your mouth. You are trying to remove as much plaque as possible as well as any leftover bits of food. Remember to gently brush along the gum line as well as the teeth themselves.

If you are unsure about the correct way to brush your teeth, just ask your Manor Square dentist for advice.

A toothbrush with a small head is best as this can be moved more easily around your mouth. The bristles should be either soft or medium as you don’t want to damage your teeth by brushing too hard. Some people prefer to use an electric toothbrush, but, as long as you brush properly, there is little or no difference in the result.