A guide to good mouthcare

Looking after your teeth contributed to the way you look. Sparkling clean, even teeth look good, so you can smile with confidence. Good mouthcare keeps your breath fresh too!

Its over to you

Nobody wants to lose a tooth from decay or have bleeding gums. Good habits keep tooth decay and gum disease at bay. This way you will ensure that you look and feel good now, and you will keep your teeth for life.

The root of the problem

Plaque is a sticky substance that develops on the teeth continuously and contains a host of bacteria. These bacteria are the common link between tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath.

The plaque bacteria use the sugars from our food and drink to cause acid attack on the teeth. If this occurs often, then over time, tooth decay or cavities will form. Gum disease is caused when the bacteria infect the bums, causing them to bleed. In the early stages, it is easy to get rid of (by thorough toothbrushing), but if allowed to develop, deep pockets can occur between the tooth and the gum, making the tooth loose and likely to fall out. The smell of gas produced by the activity of the bacteria living in the mouth is the main cause of bad breath!

The regular removal of plaque helps fight against all of these problems.

To keep plaque at bay you need

• Fluoride toothpaste - fluoride helps to strengthen the tooth against acid attacks. Check that your toothpaste contains fluoride. Toothpastes that claim to whiten teeth, may damage the tooth surface.
• A good toothbrush - check the bristles are not too worn and the head is small enough to move easily inside your mouth.
• Your time - make time to clean all the surfaces of your teeth throroughly and gently massage right up to the gums. Do this in the morning, but especially last thing at night every day. It is also a good idea to floss between your teeth to remove plaque and food particles.

Snack attacks

All types of sugars (packet sugar, fruit sugars and honey) and even some processed starchy foods, including crisps and savoury snacks, can feed the mouth bacteria producing acid. Every time we eat, an acid attack can occur. The acids in some foods and soft frinks can also attack the tooth enamel directly. To protect your teeth, reduce the number of snacks you take between meals.

• Try to have breakfast and sit down to regular meals if you can. This will help reduce the number of snacks you have
• If you do snack, try not to nibble them over a long period of time; grazing all day provides a constant acid attack on the teeth.
• Swishing or holding drinks in your mouth is not a good idea. Use a straw to take the drink past your front teeth.

Smoking

Smokers have more gum disease, stained teeth and bad breath and cannot taste their food as well as non-smokers. It is a very hard to kick the habit, and in the long term smoking can cause cancer.

Your dentist is there to help

A visit to the dentist is a chance to talk to an expert who can give you advice about keeping your mouth healthy. If you have a particular concern about the appearance ofyour teeth your dentist may be able to provide advice or treatment to improve them.