Clock House Dental believe that your Oral Health is our priority.
At each exam we will look at your oral hygiene, including checking for tooth decay, your gum health and screening for oral cancer.
We will aim to give you practical advice on how to maintain your health and manage tooth decay and gum disease.
We advise that you brush your teeth with a medium tooth brush and toothpaste containing Fluoride for a minimum of two minutes and twice daily.
We advise that you brush in a circular motion, ensuring that the bristles massage the gum line where your teeth and gums meet. Finding a methodical approach will mean you are less likely to miss anywhere.
We recommend that you don’t rinse your mouth following brushing to keep the benefits of the fluoride on your teeth. If you wish to use a mouthwash, we advise using one free of alcohol, that contains fluoride and that it is used at a different time of day to brushing, such as after a meal.
We also advise that you use something to clean in between your teeth daily such as floss, interdental brushes or an air/ water flosser.
An electric toothbrush can be an effective tool to aid in your routine. They can help to prevent over brushing and can also help make it easier and fun!
The Oral Heath Foundation is a fantastic resource for more information on all aspects of mouth health: Prevention and advice | Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org)
Did you know that many aspects of your overall health can affect your mouth, and vice versa?
Certain medications, medical conditions, diet, work place conditions and social habits can have a big impact. Speak to your dentist who will help to advise you further.
Smoking is not only linked to both Oral and Respiratory Cancers, but is a leading cause in tooth loss due to gum disease. This is because cigarettes contain vasoconstrictors that reduce the blood circulation in the mouth, leading to your body not being able to show the signs of gum disease. Its common that when people stop smoking their gums may bleed a lot more than usual, this is your body trying to fight back!
Please note that vaping is still relatively new and no long term studies are available currently to show its effect on the oral cavity. Therefore we may still advise you to reduce or stop vaping as part of our advice to help keep your mouth healthy.
More information can be found at : Smoking and oral health – Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org)
Regular Alcohol use is also linked to Oral Cancer, and the current recommendation is not to exceed 14 units a week.
- Pints of Beers, Lagers and Ciders generally contain between 2 – 3 units each
- a standard glass of Wine is generally just over 2 units per glass
- Alcopop bottles have about 1.5 units each
- Standard spirit measures are usually 1 unit.
More information can be found at: Alcohol units | Alcohol Change UK
Your diet makes a difference!
Eating healthy foods can lower your risk of developing tooth decay as well as other conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and gout to name a few.
Tooth decay is caused by the bacteria in your mouth converting sugars present in your food into acid. This acid remains in your mouth for up to an hour while your saliva works to buffer the ph back to normal. This acid breaks down the tooth surface over time and leads to a cavity forming.
It can take a long time to get through the Enamel, which is the outer layer and hardest substance. Once through however, it can spread rapidly through the secondary substance know as the Dentine, which makes up the bulk of the tooth. This can then affect the nerve of the tooth leading to pain and may cause the nerve to die, forming an abscess.
Any sugary foods and drinks should be reduced to mealtimes only, with water or safer snacks such as crisps, cheese and breadsticks.
Fizzy drinks, even sugar free ones are still recommended to be consumed as an occasional treat as they are acidic in nature. This means that over time they can help to thin the enamel of your teeth. This is know as erosion and can lead to teeth becoming more sensitive and more prone to chipping and fracturing.
With any food and drink we advise that you wait at least 30 minutes to an hour before brushing your teeth as your mouth remains acidic for that time and brushing may increase erosion.
More info can be found here:
Diet and my teeth – Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org)
Gum disease – Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org)
Dentures and your mouth
A denture is a removeable replacement for missing teeth that fit on top of your gums.
Dentures should be removed after you eat to allow them to be cleaned and your mouth to be rinsed.
Dentures should also be removed on a night while you sleep so that your gums, normally covered by the denture can rest. Not removing your dentures and failing to keep them clean can lead to fungal infections in your mouth. More information can be found here:
Denture cleaning – Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org)
