Time to Smile Look after your teeth in 2016
Less than half the population attend a dentist for regular check ups and the situation is becoming steadily worse.
We tend to take our teeth for granted until we have a toothache, but in the case of teeth, prevention really is better than cure.
Our mouths are full of bacteria. Mostly these are harmless; some are even helpful. Certain types though, attach themselves to the enamel (the hard surface which covers each tooth). If not removed they breed and spread. Their waste products mix with the proteins in saliva and form the creamy fi lm we know as plaque.
If we eat a lot of sugary food it creates the right oral environment for bacteria to multiply faster. While tooth enamel is very hard wearing it is vulnerable to attack by acid. One of the waste products produced by the breeding bacteria is acid and because this is formed in the sticky plaque, it cannot easily be washed away by saliva.
If they’re not removed, the acids begin to dissolve the enamel and make it porous. The pores become larger and in time they join up and a cavity is formed.
Because there are no nerve fi bres in the enamel, we cannot ‘feel’ the bacterial acid attacking our teeth. Eventually though, the enamel breaks down so much that the acid begins to attack to dentine underneath. When this happens we feel pain so know that something is wrong, but by then we already have tooth decay.
So how do we prevent bacterial build up on our teeth?
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The fi rst step is to develop a good brushing technique. Most dentists recommend electric toothbrushes as they have a more effi cient cleaning action. Whether you choose an electric or an ordinary brush, make sure that the bristles are soft. Too much vigorous brushing with tough bristles can irritate the gums and wear the thin tooth enamel, making the teeth sensitive.
The second step to good oral hygiene is fl ossing. The tiny gaps between the teeth, called interproximal spaces, cannot be kept clean by brushing alone. Flossing is the only way to get into these areas. Failure to fl oss means that up to 35% of the tooth surface remains dirty!
The third step is mouthwash. This fl ushes out any persistent bacteria which brushing and fl ossing have missed, and also work to make the teeth more slippery meaning bacteria fi nd it harder to stick to their surface.
Even the best oral hygiene falls short of perfection, which is why it is important to visit a dentist for a check up at least once a year. They will be able to check the whole mouth for signs of damage and provide preventative treatment if they see a problem.
Good oral health needn’t be pricey. Most dentists off er treatment plans, where you pay a little every month to cover some or all of any future costs. Many also off er interest-free loans, so you can spread the cost of more expensive treatment.
So get cleaning and fl ash those pearly whites with pride this year.
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