Brush your teeth before eating. If you clean your teeth within an hour of eating, you will brush off your enamel. So brush your teeth before breakfast, and drink a glass of water or chew sugar-free gum afterwards to remove sugar, acid and debris and to restore your dental pH levels.
How to brush properly. If you do this, a manual toothbrush and basic fluoride toothpaste are as effective as an electric toothbrush.
- Spend two minutes twice a day on the task.
- Brush systematically, working from one corner of the mouth to the other, making sure you brush all surfaces.
- Use just a smear of toothpaste and don't brush too hard. Tickle the teeth and gums - that's all the pressure you need.
- Don't rinse with water - just spit out what's left in your mouth. That way the fluoride stays in your mouth longer doing its job.
Avoid snacks and acid attacks.After you eat, your mouth becomes acidic for roughly 40 minutes. Snacking regularly (food and drink) means your mouth is 60% more acidic - menaing more chance of tooth decay and gum disease. So cut down on drinks and snacks between meals.
Cucumber mouthwash. Bacteria cause bad breath when our mouths dry out. Drinking water, or eating fibrous vegetables with a high water content (e.g. cucumber, celery and carrots) are just as effecive as shop-bought remedies.
Don't fear the dentist. Phobias and fears can be tackled at any age. Try not to arrive too early for your apppintment. Ask for your first visit to be pain-free. Let the dentist know in advance you are nervous. Many dentists have special training in treating patients with fear and phobias, so ask if your practice offers this.
Win new friends. people with good dental health are perceived to be better educated and more friendly, to have a successful careers and relationship, and winning personalities.
Treat sugar as the enemy. Watch out for hidden sugars and acids and try and alter your diet to reduce them. Substitute porridge for sugary cereals, or eat an orange instead of drinking a glass of orange juice. Drink peppermint tea instead of red berry tea, which is high in acid. And avoid lemon alcopops, which have the same acidity levels as stomach acid.
Look after baby teeth. Almost 25,000 five to nine year olds were admitted to hospital in 2014 for dental cavities. One third of children in the UK have rotten teeth. It is important to retain 'baby' teeth until the adult teeth are ready to come through. Teach your children to brush teeth properly. Get a timer as children can't judge two minutes.
How to save a tooth. If you knock out a tooth, don't rinse it in water or wrap it in a tissue - you'll kill the fragile cells that can help it survive. Instead, lick it, then stick it back in the cavity - and get to the dentist as fast as you can. If you can't replace the tooth, submerge it in milk, which will buy you a few hours.
Dr Chris van Tullekan and Daniela Soave, Radio Times 30 May - June 2015
