Brushing
It’s important to brush your teeth two times a day, with any toothpaste that contains fluoride (1500ppm) – to keep your gums healthy and remove the bacteria that causes tooth decay.
Use a soft headed toothbrush or ideally an electric toothbrush to get the best results.
Don’t scrub your teeth with your brush, clean in gentle circles as this will prevent tooth wear and sensitivity.
Flossing
Floss at least twice a week to reach the parts of your gums that your brush can’t reach to maintain your gum health.
Tape floss is the best floss to use as this is easier to get between your teeth.
Interdental brushes
If you’re concerned about your gum health – if your gums regularly bleed when you clean them, if your teeth feel like they move or if your gums are receding (your teeth may look longer) – then use interdental brushes, alongside your normal toothbrush, twice a day to clean those hard to reach spaces.
Top tip – dip your interdental brushes in mouth wash before using them to get the mouth wash where it needs to be.
Mouthwash
There are two types of mouth wash – antibacterial and fluoride rinses. Antibacterial mouthwashes are good if you have problems with gum health – fluoride is good for preventing decay. These are best used at a seperate time of day to brushing e.g. after meals.
If you’re using chlohexidine – e.g. Corsodyl (Antibacterial) use only for a few days at a time as otherwise this can cause staining.
Teeth whitening
Avoid DIY dentistry! We recommend that you don’t use home whitening or home straightening kits as they’re frequently shown to do more damage than good. We’ll be more than happy to advise you on tooth whitening and straightening once we’re up and running again.
Diet
We’re all at home more than we anticipated during this time and it’s so easy to be tempted by the fridge or the snack draw. Try to keep snacking to a minimum as this causes tooth decay – if you need a snack try fresh fruit or vegetables.
What should I do if I’m in pain?
Call the practice number where we’ll offer over the phone advice.
Dental emergency
Call the practice for advice (during opening hours) if you experience any of the following:
- Facial swelling
- Bleeding following an extraction that does not stop after 20 minutes
- Bleeding due to trauma
- A severely broken tooth or tooth that’s fallen out with accompanying pain;
- Toothache that is preventing sleep and eating and is unmanageable even with painkillers
If you are experiencing facial swelling that affects your vision, breathing or prevents your mouth opening more than two fingers width, or if any trauma to a tooth is causing you loss of vision or vomiting – go straight to A&E.