Oral Hygeine Instruction Here are the 'secrets' that will maximise the lifespan of your teeth!

The combination of food and bacteria in your mouth can cause decay, gum disease and bad breath.

It would be a great pity to suffer gum recession, or to lose teeth through gum disease because of long-term neglect to oral hygiene. It would equally be a shame to compromise the effect of an attractive smile with bad breath even in the short term.
Follow these daily steps to maintain a healthy mouth, fresh breath and to maximise the longevity of your smile.

Tooth brushing

Brushing at least twice a day with a fresh toothbrush and a modern fluoride toothpaste is the foundation of a successful oral hygiene routine.

Brushing Technique:

• For best results, brush with a small soft tooth brush using a circular action or use an electric toothbrush. We highly recommend Braun-Oral B electric tooth brushes with the extra soft tooth brush heads.
• Avoid scrubbing back and forth as this can cause tooth wear.
• Move along one tooth at a time with the brush head angled down to the gum line to ensure nowhere is missed.
• Brush all the inside surfaces, then outside surfaces then the biting surfaces.
• Brush for at least 3 minutes.
• Be careful to brush right to the gum level as this is where most plaque builds up.

If the gum bleeds don't let this put you off. Gums only bleed from areas that are inflamed. These areas will require more attention than normal to heal up, not less! Flossing and cleaning between teeth Brushing alone is not enough to clean all the way between teeth.

Interdental brushes are excellent if there are small spaces between the teeth. We can supply specialised tiny brushes that fit between very small spaces between your teeth that most chemists do not stock.

Regular dental flossing is another solution if your teeth are extremely close together. We can supply you with specialised floss that slips easily between the tightest spaces. This special floss is made from "teflon" type products that is much thinner than standard floss. Although a little tricky to master compared to normal tooth brushing, the benefits make it worth the effort. Your teeth and gums will be cleaner and healthier and bacteria that cause bad breath will have few places left to hide. So get flossing!

Flossing technique:

Step 1 Wind floss around your middle fingers to keep it taut. Then place the floss over the tips of your first fingers to reach your back teeth.
Step 2 It is easier to floss your top front teeth by placing it over the tip of one finger and one thumb
Step 3 Ease the floss between your teeth with a gentle sawing action and then clean with an up and down movement.

Mouthwashes & Specialised Gels

Few people have such a thorough brushing and flossing routine that they would not benefit from the use of mouthwash and or specialised gels. An excellent daily mouthwash can help eliminate food debris and bacteria that has not all been removed by brushing and flossing and can be very effective at combating bad breath and decay.

We will explain about mouthwashes and specialised gels that are particularly helpful in preventing decay in those prone to ongoing problems or in treating acute gum infections.

Tooth paste

enhancedental supply highly specialised toothpastes that is not available at the super market for teeth that decay more easily than usual. We will also explain how to use it specifically regarding your individual circumstances. These toothpastes can be highly successful in preventing new decay from forming.

Diet

The frequency of eating sugary foods and drinks including dried fruits, cough lollies, muesli bars, fruit juices, citrus drinks, cordials, sugar in coffee or tea etc can have an enormous impact especially with regards to the development of decay. We can advise you about your individual circumstance and the best ways to reduce your decay risk.

Tongue cleaning

Tongue cleaning is an important part of your oral hygiene and fresh breath program. The back of the tongue is a reservoir for organisms that cause gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath. A tooth brush can be used on your tongue to gently sweep this substance away to reduce the bacteria in your mouth and freshen your breath.

Recall visits

With the best will in the world it is still difficult to eradicate plaque and prevent the build up of tartar completely. enhancedental strongly recommend visiting us for a professional dental cleaning and examination every 3 to 6 months. If you have had porcelain veneers, crowns, or bridgework you will need to attend for an examination and a clean, at least twice a year to maintain your guarantee for 5 years.