Five Things You Might Not Know About Cleaning Your Teeth

Five Things You Might Not Know About Cleaning Your Teeth

Our Bedford dentists explore the basics of personal oral care.

For all the advanced dental procedures that are available to save a damaged, or decayed tooth, the fact is that following a good oral health care regimen is the best way to preserve a strong and healthy set of teeth.

Naturally, regular checks at The Dental Centre Bedford are also necessary, just in case any treatment is needed; but a good brushing and flossing regimen goes a long way to minimising the amount of intervention required.

Below, we take a look at a few facts surrounding the basics of teeth cleaning which we hope will be of some help to our Bedford dental patients and support you in your personal oral care programme.

  1. Your brush is important – Did you know that you should change your toothbrush, or the head of your electric brush every three months or so? Although the brush may feel more ‘comfortable’ after this time, this is due to the bristles becoming much softer and therefore less efficient at removing food particles and bacteria from the teeth and gum line. You should also change it following an illness such as flu or stomach bug, as the virus may live on in the bristles for some time.
  2. Beware ‘natural’ alternatives – The internet is full of ‘alternatives to’, and we have seen this with toothbrushes too; from a type of twig used by a tribal society, to a paper towel wrapped around the finger. Whilst both of these may make your teeth feel a little fresher, they certainly will not be as effective in removal of bacteria and you are more likely to suffer from tooth decay as a result.
  3. Use a fluoride toothpaste – As above, some natural toothpastes avoid the use of fluoride, but this is a mistake as the fluoride works to strengthen the enamel. Weakened enamel makes the teeth more vulnerable to acid attacks from the food and drinks that we consume.
  4. Don’t neglect inter-dental brushing – Reports that dental floss does not work may have caused some people not to bother even attempting it, but the reality is that dental floss does work to remove food and bacteria from between the teeth if done correctly. Unfortunately many people use a sawing motion which is not effective at all, even though you may think it’s beneficial. If you struggle to floss your teeth, ask our dentists or hygienists to show you how to do it correctly; it really is quite easy. You might also like to consider using an inter-dental brush as an alternative if preferred.
  5. Don’t brush too hard – Some conscientious patients actually brush their teeth too hard in an attempt to keep them clean. Unfortunately, this can have the reverse result in that the ‘scrubbing’ can damage the enamel and make the teeth more vulnerable to tooth decay.  It may also cause your gums to recede. If you feel you may be doing this and currently use a manual brush, consider changing to an electric one that has a pressure sensor which cuts out if you press too hard.

If you follow the above guidelines, you will certainly help yourself in the quest to preserve healthy teeth and gums; free from decay and disease. Naturally, professional supervision by one of our dentists at the The Dental Centre Bedford is also strongly recommended and you can contact us by calling our team on 01234 819868.