The following tips can be passed onto customers to help maintain their oral health:
- Practise good oral hygiene, brushing and flossing twice daily
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid damage to tooth enamel
- Change manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrush heads every three months
- Start brushing children’s teeth as soon as they start coming through and get them into a good routine from a young age
- Consider fluoride supplements or mouth rinses for children at risk of dental decay
- Get regular dental check ups – how regular will depend on a dentist’s recommendation, but usually every six months
- Don’t delay dental treatment, as it may make problems worse and harder to treat later on
- Dentures and braces should fit well, be checked regularly and cleaned thoroughly
- Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water can help ease dental pain
- Limit snacking, particularly on sugary foods and drinks, between meals
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
- Chewing sugar-free gum after eating helps to stimulate saliva – one of the body’s natural defences against the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque
- Stop smoking.