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Caring for your teeth

Oral care products and advice

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    Oral care products

    How often should I clean my teeth?

    It is important to clean your teeth for two minutes, twice a day – in the morning and especially last thing at night. Usually two minutes is enough to remove plaque and to clean properly. Some people find using a stop-watch or timer useful as two minutes is often longer than you think. If you eat or drink certain foods you may need to clean more often.

    What do I need to clean my teeth properly?

    There are many different oral care products you can get today. Your dentist or hygienist will be able to recommend the best toothbrush and toothpaste for you to use, as well as the best way to clean between your teeth.

    Which is the best toothbrush to use?

    It is usually recommended that adults use a toothbrush with a small- to medium-sized head with multi-tufted, soft to medium filaments (bristles). These filaments should be round ended and made from nylon.

    Are electric toothbrushes a good idea?

    Some people prefer to use an electric toothbrush. They are especially useful if you have limited movement or find cleaning particularly difficult. These toothbrushes usually have heads which either vibrate or oscillate and pulsate. Some electric toothbrushes are meant to be thrown away when the battery runs down, and some are rechargeable. You can buy electric toothbrushes from your local chemist, electrical retailer or dentist.

    Electric toothbrushes with oscillating and pulsating heads have been proven to be the most effective. Many electric toothbrushes have two-minute timers built in to help you brush for the correct amount of time.

    What about children’s toothbrushes?

    It is just as important for children to use the correct toothbrush. Look for a small-headed toothbrush with soft nylon bristles, suitable for the age of your child. There are many novelty toothbrushes for children that help encourage them to brush for the correct length of time. There are also electric toothbrushes that have been specially designed for children to use. Children under the age of 7 should be supervised while brushing.

    FAQs on toothpaste

    What about cleaning between my teeth?

    Brushing alone only cleans three of the five surfaces of your teeth, so it is important that you also clean between your teeth every day. Your dentist or hygienist will be able to show you how.

    Interdental brushes

    To clean the small gaps between your teeth you can use special ‘interdental’ brushes. These can be on long or short handles for easier use and are generally colour coded for the different-sized gaps between your teeth. Ask your dentist or hygienist for advice on how to use these products correctly and safely.

    Dental floss and tape

    There are several different types of dental floss or tape, including mint-flavoured, wax-coated and ones containing fluoride. Many people prefer tape to floss, as it is wider and can be gentler on the gums. You can also get floss ‘harps’, and these have the floss attached to a handle which may make the floss easier to use.

    Water jets

    These are another way of cleaning in between the teeth using a high-pressure jet of water. Some people with bridges and implants find them particularly useful.

    What are disclosing tablets and solutions?

    These contain a dye. After brushing and cleaning interdentally, you can use a disclosing tablet or solution to dye any plaque that hasn’t been removed. This can help to show any places you are missing when brushing. You can easily remove the dye afterwards by brushing.

    FAQs on mouthwash

    What should I use to clean my denture?

    You should clean all the surfaces of your denture with a small- to medium-headed toothbrush using a denture-cleaning paste. If you choose an effervescent (fizzy) tablet for stubborn stains, you should thoroughly brush the denture before soaking. Products specifically designed to clean dentures are less abrasive than regular toothpastes. Therefore they are less likely to roughen the surface of your dentures which would make them more likely to become stained.

    What is a denture fixative?

    Denture fixatives are products which help to stick or hold a denture in place and to stop it moving around and causing irritation and sores. Fixatives can come in different forms, including creams, powders and strips.

    Should I use a fixative?

    Dentures are custom made to fit your mouth and you shouldn’t need to use a denture fixative. However, over time as your mouth shrinks, the denture may become loose and may not fit as well. If this happens some people may prefer to use a fixative in the short term before they have the denture replaced with a new and better-fitting one.

    What is dental erosion?

    Dental erosion is the loss of tooth enamel caused by acid attack. Eventually the enamel can be worn away, exposing the dentine underneath which may lead to pain and sensitivity.

    Should I use any special products to help prevent erosion?

    The use of a good fluoride toothpaste (1350 to 1500ppm fluoride) will help to put back the minerals lost from your teeth and to strengthen the enamel. There are specialist ‘enamel formula’ toothpastes you can use if you feel that your diet is high in acid and you think that you may be at risk of acid erosion.

    You should also try to cut down as much as possible on the amount of acidic foods and drinks that you have . These foods and drinks include wine, fruit juices, smoothies, fruit teas, fruit and fizzy drinks.

    What about products for bad breath?

    Often bad breath is a short-term problem caused by smoking, or eating or drinking something that has a strong smell. The use of products designed to fight bad breath will help to stop this.

    Long-term bad breath could be a symptom of a dental problem such as gum disease. So if the bad breath continues you should ask your dentist for advice. Bad-breath products will only mask the smell and will not remove any underlying problem.

    What products could I use to help get rid of bad breath?

    Good brushing and cleaning in between the teeth is the most important way of controlling bad breath. In the short term you can use mouth rinses, sugar-free gum and sugar-free mints. Many of the bacteria causing bad breath live on your tongue, so brushing your tongue or using a tongue scraper will also help.

    What is dry mouth?

    Dry mouth or ‘xerostomia’ is a condition which affects the flow of saliva, causing your mouth to feel dry. For more information see our ‘Tell me about’ leaflet Dry Mouth.

    Are there any products I can use to ease dry mouth?

    There are a number of products designed to provide moisture and comfort. These include rinses, toothpastes, gels and sprays. If you prefer, you can also get lozenges and chewing gums for when you are out and about. Some people also find chewing sugar-free gum helps to increase the flow of saliva and reduce the problems.

    What is the advantage of chewing sugar-free gum?

    If you chew sugar-free gum for 10 minutes after eating or drinking anything, this can help your saliva to cancel out the acid more quickly. The acid is produced when we eat or drink, and it can cause tooth decay and dental erosion. By chewing sugar-free gum, you can shorten the time it takes for your saliva to cancel out the acid.

    What are probiotics?

    Probiotics are living micro-organisms – usually ‘friendly’ bacteria – and are most often used to promote healthy digestion.

    How could a probiotic help my oral health?

    Using an oral probiotic may help to keep up the balance between the ‘friendly’ bacteria in your mouth and the harmful bacteria which can cause plaque build-up, gum disease and bad breath.

    These oral probiotics are often sold as lozenges and you dissolve them slowly in your mouth after brushing and flossing.

    How do I know the claims a product is making are true?

    The British Dental Health Foundation has an accreditation scheme which checks the claims made by manufacturers. Look out for the British Dental Health Foundation approved logo on packaging, which shows that the claims on the packaging have been clinically proven and the product does what it says.

    Source: British Dental Health Foundation

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