It is very easy to take our teeth for granted – until the day you have to make an emergency dental appointment to address your tooth pain. At our central London specialist dental practice we understand the nature of a dental emergency and will see people in need immediately, but equally we practise preventative dentistry on all of our dental patients. We are frequently asked what our dental care priorities are so here are ten of them:
- The first rule of dental care is regular brushing. Dentists recommend you brush for two minutes last thing at night and at least one other time during the day.
- Use an electric toothbrush with a rotating, oscillating action. These have been shown to be up to two times more effective in plaque removal than their manual counterparts.
- Floss and interdental brushes cleans in between your teeth – the 40% not reached by a brush.
- Don’t rush to brush. Just after you have had something to eat or drink, your enamel becomes softer and loses some mineral content. Within an hour, your saliva will have restored it to its natural balance. Waiting for this lessens the risk of dental erosion.
- Reduce the quantity of sugar attacking your teeth by cutting back on sugary food and drinks.
- If you do have fizzy or acidic drinks, use a straw so the liquid can bypass the teeth, sparing them an acid attack.
- Chewing sugar-free gum encourages increased saliva production, helps reduce plaque and therefore the occurrence of dental decay.
- Protect against gum disease by choosing a mouthwash with antibacterial ingredients.
- Quit smoking before it stains your teeth and exacerbates gum disease and resulting tooth loss. Smoking is also a contributing factor to mouth cancer.
- See your dental team on a regular basis. At our specialist dental practice in London’s Harley Street, dentist, hygienist and patient work together to achieve the highest standard in oral care.
