Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel, which is the hard, outer protective layer of your teeth.

Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, constantly and continuously forming on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. This results in a break in the tooth structure forming holes or as we all call a cavity!

So what can we do to stop this?

Top Tips:

• Brush your teeth at least TWICE daily. In fact the more brushes the better! Make sure to clean
  all surfaces with special attention to your back teeth, as these are the ones often missed and may develop into future problems.
• Get in between your teeth at least ONCE a day – what if you don’t do it? You could be missing 25% or more tooth surface and so these areas are at risk of forming a cavity. Do you really want a filling? Of course not so get flossing.
• Do not rinse after brushing BUT rather spit the excess out, wipe the lips and leave the residue. Why? The toothpaste will continue to work after brushing, if you rinse then you wash away all the good stuff that protects your teeth so that they are not benefitting nearly as much. When to start spitting over rinsing? From as early as 3 years old.
• Use an Automatic Toothbrush – They are more effective then manuals – studies show those using electric toothbrushes had less cavities, more teeth and less issues generally through life. I recommend a small rotary head with an in built pressure sensor – this will stop you wearing your teeth and gums by pushing too hard.
• Majority of us push too hard when not limited by a pressure sensor. If you continue to push too hard you can cause the gum to push back, this reveals the root surface which is not protected by the hard enamel. This is not only sensitive but also can be worn to form a cavity very easily. Definitely recommend having a pressure sensor built into your toothbrush.
• See your dentist and hygienist regularly – If you see your dentist and hygienist routinely then you’re likely to have less problems and we can keep on top of your dental health. The ideal time frame between you and your healthcare professionals will be determined at your appointments as it is dependent on what we see and discuss.

What do we use? We use the Oral B Genius to brush twice daily and floss at night just before brushing.

Our advice and treatment provided is always evidence based so that you have the confidence to know that it will make a difference.

You can find some more interesting information about keeping your mouth healthy on:

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