What you can do for your Teeth

Gum disease is one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults and has also been linked to heart disease and strokes. If diagnosed in the early stage, gingivitis can be treated and reversed. If treatment is not received, a more serious and advanced stage of gum disease, called Periodontitis, which includes bone loss, may follow. 

When you brush your teeth properly, at least twice a day, you are removing the plaque that causes cavities. Plaque is the soft and sticky substance that accumulates on the teeth from food debris and bacteria. Flossing daily will remove the plaque from in between the teeth that the toothbrush cannot reach. Getting regular dental check ups and cleanings to removing plaque from your teeth, are the best prevention against gum disease. 

Proper Nutrition is important
The sugars from soft drinks and non-nutritional foods combine with the bacteria in our mouths which produces acids that attack tooth enamel. This can lead to cavities and gum disease. Limiting the amount of beverages and foods that are high in sugar can greatly help to maintain good dental health.

Brushing Teeth
Brushing your teeth before you eat breakfast can help to prevent the dental erosion that can wear away your teeth. Brushing their teeth after eating acidic food and drink can damage their teeth permanently. Acidic foods and drinks (fruit juice and fizzy mineral waters) soften the enamel on your teeth. Brushing immediately afterward wears the enamel away, and can cause dental erosion, which may lead to pain and extreme sensitivity in the teeth, and also lead to cosmetic problems. The saliva in your mouth neutralises the acidity and restores its natural balance.
However research has shown that this can take up to an hour.
Over time, regular consumption of acidic food and drink throughout the day can lead to the loss of the surface of your teeth. To avoid dental erosion, the Foundation encourages people to:

• Wait one hour after eating or drinking anything acidic before brushing
• Use a straw when drinking acidic drinks to reduce contact with teeth
• Drink water and milk between meals in preference to juice and fizzy drinks
• Chew sugar-free gum – this will produce more saliva to help cancel out acid in your mouth
• Finish a meal with cheese or milk to help neutralise any acids

Floss
Most dentists recommend flossing at least once a day. If you tend to get food trapped between teeth, you can floss more often.
How To Floss
- Hold the floss so that a short segment is ready to work with.
- Guide the floss gently between two teeth. If the fit is tight, use a back-and-forth motion to work the floss through the narrow spot. Do not snap the floss; you could cut your gums.
- Hold the floss around the front and back of one tooth, making it into a "C" shape. This will wrap the floss around the side edge of that tooth.
- Gently move the floss toward the base of the tooth and into the space between the tooth and gum.
- Move the floss up and down with light to firm pressure to skim off plaque from the tooth. Do not press so hard that you injure the gum.
- Repeat for all sides of the tooth, including the outermost side of the last tooth. Advance the floss to a clean segment for each tooth edge.

Mouthwashes and rinses
As with toothpaste, your choice of mouthwash or rinse will be guided by your mouth care needs. Over-the-counter rinses can freshen the breath, add fluoride or kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Some mouthwashes are designed to help loosen plaque before you brush. Ask your dentist or hygienist to recommend the rinse that would be best for you. If you need to avoid alcohol, read ingredient labels carefully. Many over-the-counter mouthwashes contain high amounts of alcohol. In some cases, your dentist might prescribe a stronger fluoride or antibacterial rinse for you.

Bad breath
About 85% of people with persistent bad breath have a dental condition that is to blame. If bad breath is the cause of a dental condition, mouthwash will only mask the odor and not cure it. Don’t be embarrassed to talk to your dentist, they are there to help you. Flossing daily and brushing your teeth & tongue twice a day can greatly reduce and possibly eliminate bad breath.


Change Tooth Brush
Manual toothbrushes become worn out after about 3 months and are not as effective as they once were. If you have gum disease, you should change your toothbrush every 4 - 6 weeks because bacteria can harbor in the bristles. You should always rinse your toothbrush out with hot water after every use and change it after you have been sick.