Tips and tricks for cleaning teeth
How much sugar will cause my teeth problems?
Sugar is fine, but not too many times during the day. Repeated hits, such as sugar in tea/coffee, or a biscuit or sweet every hour or two, give the bacteria on teeth a chance to flourish. They produce acid which causes decay, or toxins which cause gum disease. Annoyingly healthy snacks also contain sugar (including fruit) so people who snack on these can also suffer.
How often should I clean my teeth?
Cleaning is all about regularity – this must be 2x a day, but for people with gum disease there is good evidence now recommending 3 x a day. Regular cleaning means you have more chance of catching the areas you missed the previous times.
How often should I visit the dentist?
Visiting the dentist sadly does have to be regular, however it is only yearly for most people. Regular visits allow small issues to be caught and treated early, preventing bigger issues from occurring and requiring more involved treatment
What type of toothbrush should I use?
An electric toothbrush is mandatory now. Almost every dentist, and certainly every hygienist in the land use them, and they are the ones with all the skills to clean teeth perfectly! A good quality brush will pay for itself in no time at all, guaranteed. The toothpaste really doesn’t matter, but fluoride is vital to help strengthen teeth. Find one with a flavour you like, and you will be happier brushing your teeth for longer. The 2-minute timetable just indicates how long it takes to clean teeth well, and that is just the electric toothbrush part, you really should do more if you’re conscious of your dental health and fresh breath.
What is the best way to clean between my teeth?
Cleaning between teeth is vital, but so often missed as it is tricky for many of us. People often ask how often they need to do it, and ideally for people with gum disease this must be 2 times a day. Realistically, many people will struggle to do this due to busy lifestyles, and so cleaning well once a day will be sufficient, so long as you are not suffering with dental issues. You should use interdental brushes and floss.
Using interdental brushes and floss for cleaner teeth and fresher breath
Dip interdental brushes in toothpaste (very few people consider this) and that will allow great cleaning of the small gaps between the teeth at gum level. Try as many different types of brush as you can to see what works best for you, however, don’t use wooden toothpicks, they are useless apart from playing with at the end of a meal, or pretending to be a gangster (unless you are one). The second thing to use is floss, this is tricky, but once managed you will realise how much cleaner your teeth feel. Just have a smell of the floss once you have used it, and you will understand how good it is to remove the smelly bacteria in plaque, for a clean fresh breath.
Finding the time to clean between my teeth properly
Consider using floss one day, and interdental brushes the next day, if you can’t or won’t do both, they all clean different areas so this will help remove plaque as it matures over time and becomes more of a problem. More mature plaque will produce more rapid dental disease, and certainly causes more bad breath.
If you can’t find the time in the morning, and too tired at night, try flossing during the day when energy your levels are up, it’s better than not flossing at all.
Is using mouthwash as good as cleaning my teeth with a toothbrush?
Mouth washes are great as an addition to cleaning but can’t replace the mechanical cleaning of brushing. Some have great additional antibacterial agents, but you should avoid any with alcohol present as this is so harmful with oral cancer risks.
How can I tell if I have bad breath?
You can lick your arm, let it dry and have a sniff (Ideally do this in private). This will show you what the bacteria on your tongue are producing regarding bad odours. Don’t be shocked, we are all the same, but it does help to maintain and clean teeth and gums to the highest possible standard.
Should I rinse my mouth with water after brushing my teeth?
Don’t rinse with water after brushing teeth, just spit the tooth paste out. It works topically as antibacterial, and the fluoride helps strengthen the teeth. Rinsing your mouth will wash all the goodness away.
Beware of acidic food and drink
Beware of acidic food and drink, and the risks around brushing your teeth straight afterwards. While it sounds helpful, the acid in the food/drink softens the tooth surface and then the abrasive action of tooth brushing removes the enamel. A patient who had hot water with lemons as a health drink for breakfast, and then brushed their teeth, brushed about 1mm of their teeth away within 1 year. She then had to have veneers to cover the lost tooth structure.