Understand How To Improve Your Oral Hygiene

Published: 27/01/2012

Medical studies have linked poor dental health with heart disease so it is vital that a regular hygiene routine is performed to maintain optimum oral wellbeing.

The first thing that everyone should remember to do is to brush their teeth on a regular basis with a toothbrush and paste that is clinically proven to minimise plaque re-growth.

Regular brushing must be supplemented with inter-dental cleaning through flossing as this will help to remove plaque and debris that is lodged between the teeth, which can be difficult to remove with conventional brushing.

Flossing is ideal for younger people who have narrower spaces between their teeth when compared to adults so they must be educated about the benefits of this ritual by their elders.

Children will inevitably eat sweets when they are not being supervised but in order to quell these cravings, parents can allow them to consume these treats straight after meal times as this will reduce their damage.

Setting a time for when children can eat potential harmful foods will stop them from grazing on sweets all day long which is much more dangerous to their dental health because regular consumption puts their teeth under constant attack.

Youngsters are also fond of fruity and sugary juices, which are also known to decay enamel, so any damaging drinks should be diluted with ten parts water to one part soft beverage to improve their safety.

It can also help to encourage children to chew on sugar-free gum for around ten minutes after eating a meal or sugary snack because this will return the mouth to its natural acid balance.

Adults can also chew sugar-free gum to achieve the same effect and eating a cheese board after mealtimes can also help prevent tooth decay by normalising the acid levels within a mouth.

Eating fruit in moderation can help improve overall health and wellbeing and some fruits also have the potential to prevent both gum disease and tooth decay but many are acidic so should only be consumed sporadically.

Any dental patients that are concerned that their diet might be affecting their oral health are advised to discuss the matter with their dentist as they will be able to recommend food and drinks that are safer.

Recent research by the General Dental Council has revealed that almost all British people are happy with their dentist as a survey showed that 94 per cent said they have confidence in the dental treatment they receive.