Tips to care for your teeth from a friend of the house Dr Akinbami @theafricandentist
Did you know brushing your teeth twice a day (morning and at night before you sleep), with the appropriate toothbrush ( soft for children and medium bristled for adults) and flouride containing toothpaste can save you from having holes in your teeth which eventually lead to severe toothache and eventual loss of the tooth?
1) Do not use hard bristled toothbrushes.It wears out the gum and teeth leading to tooth sensitivity and pain. It also makes the affected teeth more prone to tooth decay as well as tooth fracture.
2) Change your toothbrush every three to four months. The older your toothbrush, the less effective it gets and the more prone you are to developing holes in your teeth as well as nursing a bad breath.
3) Use dental floss at least once a day ( preferably before you brush at night) It assists the toothbrush in cleaning out the tight spaces between teeth that the bristles of the brush cannot reach?
4) Avoid using toothpicks. It is harmful to your gums because it creates holes within the gum where food particles lodge and eventually decay. This threatens the support system of the teeth leading to toothache, mobile teeth and eventually loss of the tooth. Use an inter-dental brush instead with the dental floss to pick out stuck food particles between your teeth.
5) The tongue is a major structure in the mouth. Its large surface area traps bacteria which are harmful to the teeth and also causes mouth odour. Use a tongue cleaner while brushing in the morning and at night.
6) Scaling (washing) and polishing of the teeth helps to remove hardened food particles that the toothbrush cannot remove. The more the hardened food particles in the mouth, the higher the quantity of disease causing bacteria in the mouth. These hardened food particles also cause mouth odour. This should be done at least twice a year. It also helps the dentist to identify and treat promptly developing holes on the teeth.
7) Stop using your teeth as a tool to open a bottle of your favourite drink. It causes micro fractures on the teeth threatening the integrity of the affected teeth.
