Dental Health

Overall

Preventative care and education are the keys to optimal dental health.  Dental examinations are the cornerstone of good dental health.  Maintaining your oral health is the best way to avoid having to endure pain, tooth loss and costly restorative procedures.

Brushing

You need to brush your teeth twice a day, once after breakfast and just before going to bed at night. You need to brush for at least two minutes with a soft brush.  Hard brushes can cause harm to gum tissue.  We can show you the correct technique.

Flossing

Flossing involves placing a waxed strip between the teeth to removed trapped food. Once a day is ideal. Brushing alone does not get into these spaces, so flossing is essential for maintaining healthy gums.

Piksters

Sometimes the gaps between the teeth are too large for floss and leave debris behind. Piksters are tiny plastic handles with a pipe cleaner attached to the end which cleans these areas thoroughly.  Waterdale Dental supplies and recommends this product.

Six Monthly Checks

To maintain optimal dental health, every 6 months you should visit your dentist for an examination. A scale and clean is almost always required to maintain healthy gums. If there is a problem it can be detected and remedied early with a simple procedure. 

Diet

A balanced diet is crucial for your well-being, including your dental health. Foods with a high sugar or acid content are bad for the teeth as the bacteria in the mouth use this as fuel to damage the enamel.  If you do consume foods that contain sugar/acid it is always a good idea to thoroughly rinse the mouth with water immediately after consumption. Most fruit and vegetables are good for helping clean teeth but are not a substitute for brushing.

Sealants

A common preventative procedure is placing fissure sealants on children’s teeth.  Some kids’ teeth have deep grooves in their permanent molars which can encourage decay as they cannot be cleaned properly.

Placing white composite resin in these grooves stops the plaque and bacteria building, therefore preventing decay.

Topical Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride is a product which has been found to effectively protect teeth from decay.  It helps to remineralise enamel and repair it if damage starts to occur.

Fluoride is placed in our domestic water supplies and has greatly reduced decay in society since it was introduced. Sometimes extra fluoride is needed and this can be by topical application in trays in the mouth and/or a fluoride rinse at home.

Mouthguards

Mouthguards are made of soft acrylic and are used to protect teeth from trauma, especially during sports. Impressions/moulds are taken in a 10 minute appointment and the following week the mouthguard can be inserted.