Top New Year Tips For Healthy Teeth And Gums

Some oral care words of wisdom from our Epsom dental team.

Most of you are now probably getting back into your stride after the festive celebrations with things starting to return to ‘normal’ once more.

Sometimes, despite new year resolutions, even our bad habits also return to normal, either straight away or as resolutions slowly fade away.

So, to get you all off to a great start for 2017, we thought that we would offer some top oral care tips that will hopefully help to keep you trouble free from dental problems in the new year.

1. Don’t forget to brush regularly – Brushing your teeth twice a day is important, but so is how it is done. You should always use a fluoride toothpaste and a brush that is no more than three months old. Electric brush heads should also be changed every three months. A worn or very soft brush will no longer be effective at removing food deposits and bacteria from your teeth and gums.
2. Interdental cleaning – A sometimes neglected area of our oral health regimen is cleaning between the teeth. Whilst a toothbrush may remove some of the debris from these spaces, the very nature of the brush means it can’t reach these areas effectively. Using dental floss or an interdental brush to reach these areas is an effective method of cleaning in between the teeth. Our Epsom hygienist is always happy to show you how to do this efficiently.
3. Stop smoking – Many of you will probably have already made this resolution. If you are wavering, please don’t just consider your overall health but also the benefits to your teeth and gums if you stop. No more staining from the tar in the cigarettes and the risk of gum disease is reduced significantly, to say nothing of oral cancers!
4. Professional care – However well you take care of your teeth at home, professional dental care is important. Any dental problems that do arise can generally be treated with a relatively minor procedure if detected and diagnosed early on. Don’t ignore minor problems; they nearly always become much worse if you do.
5. Hygienist – Finally, if you don’t already, a regular trip to see the hygienist at The Clock Tower Dental Clinic is an excellent way of helping to keep your teeth and gums in excellent condition. By having your teeth professionally cleaned, any hidden tartar (hardened bacteria) can be removed before any damage is done. Not only that, but most patients find that their teeth both look and feel cleaner once this has been done.

Hopefully these few simple, and easy to do tips will help you to have healthy teeth and gums this year, and we are always available should any problems arise. If you notice any discomfort or soreness at all, always have it checked by a dentist before the pain becomes worse and more damage occurs.

Appointments can be made at our Epsom dental practice by calling us on 01372 720136.