Dentist in Northumberland, Guidepost, Choppington

Prevention » Prevention and Oral Hygiene

• Prevention and early detection is the key in avoiding costly and extensive dental treatment. We believe prevention is always better than the cure, and believe it or not dental decay and gum disease are preventable.

  Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent tooth decay & gum disease. Which is why we actively promote good oral hygiene at all times & encourage all our patients to visit our Dental Therapist for the routine care & maintenance of their teeth & gums.

  The first steps in preventing dental disease are:

  Visit us regularly- We like to see our patients every 3-6 months to carry routine dental health checks. During these we would examine your teeth, gums and soft tissues to help us to diagnose any problems like periodontal disease, gum disease, tooth decay and oral cancer, these problems are much easier treat when caught early.

  
  

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• Regular cleaning- It sounds simple, but so many of us don’t do it, brushing and flossing are the best weapons for fighting dental disease. We recommend you brush your teeth twice a day, once in the morning and again at night for at least two minutes each time. This will remove plaque bacteria from the teeth, as it is this bacteria that causes tooth decay, periodontal and gum disease. For those hard to reach areas between teeth we recommend using floss or interdental aids daily to give your mouth an all round clean. With the help of our Dental Therapist we will design a care plan tailored to your mouth and show you how to care for your mouth at home.

  Cut our tobacco - Smoking is just plain bad for your mouth, not only can it cause your teeth to become stained and yellow there are hidden problems that are far more threatening. If you Smoke are more likely to suffer from oral cancer than non smokers. Periodontal disease in smokers is more aggressive; it progresses faster, and responds very poorly to treatment. So is it really worth it.

  Include Fluoride - Fluoride prevents tooth decay in two ways. Fluoride strengthens the tooth structure, making its enamel more resistant to acid attack. Fluoride is also toxic to many bacteria, including those that are involved in tooth decay. The fluoride found in toothpaste and mouth rinses lowers this bacterial count significantly. Always use fluoride toothpaste, and anyone with an increased risk of decay should use rinses. Fluoride rinses are most effective if used at bedtime.

  Reduce the frequency of your sugar intake - The amount of sugar you eat throughout the day is not as important as the how often you eat it. These include both simple sugars and starches. Your mouths saliva naturally neutralizes the bacterial acids that are created by sugar and the plaque present in your mouth; this minimizes the damage that is caused to your tooth’s enamel. If you eat a lot of sugar throughout the day it can overload your mouths ability to do this. So keep sugary foods to mealtimes and don’t snack on sugary foods between meals. This reduces the amount of acid attacks you have each day and gives your mouth time to recover.

  Sugar-free gum - Chewing sugar-free gum has been shown to reduce cavities. Chewing gum that contains xylitol has been shown to reduce the amount of decay causing bacteria in the mouth. Chewing gum also stimulates saliva flow which neutralizes the acid in the mouth.

  Seal it- Most decay in children and young adults is often found in the grooves of the biting surfaces of the back teeth. These deep pits and fissures can be difficult to clean and often your toothbrush can miss them so bacteria can gather in these areas and cause cavities. We like to place sealants in these areas to seal them off, eliminating the environment where these bacteria thrive. Sealants are not just for children, we place them on anyone with susceptible grooves and evidence of decay to protect their teeth from any further damage.

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