Make your oral hygiene a priority! Good oral hygiene will take approximately 6 minutes out of your busy day. This includes:
- Brushing morning, night and flossing once a day.
- Keeping sugar and acidic foods or drinks to a minimum and avoiding snacking between meals.
- Visiting your dentist at 6 – 12 month intervals for your routine examination and professional clean.
Brushing technique
- Brush your teeth twice a day using a soft bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized amount toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Always brush systematically so you thoroughly clean all surfaces of your teeth.
- Hold the brush at a 45° angle towards the gum line and use a gentle circular motion to brush the outside and inside surfaces of each tooth.
- Use back and forth strokes on the chewing surfaces.
- Use the tip of the brush to brush behind your front teeth, both top and bottom using a flicking motion.
- Brush your tongue from back to front to remove odour-producing bacteria.
- Finish with a spit, not a rinse.
Children and Brushing
Young children don’t have the manual dexterity to clean their teeth properly. This is why dentists recommend you brush your child’s teeth for them until they are between 6 – 12 years of age. Since each child is different, you will need to decide when your child is ready to begin brushing without help.
Cleaning of dentures
- Remove your dentures and place them in water or a mild denture soaking solution before going to bed each night.
- Clean your dentures with a soft toothbrush and mild liquid soap or approved denture cleaner twice daily. This is best done over a hand basin half filled with water or a towel to prevent breakage if dropped.
- Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft toothbrush before you insert your dentures.
- Partial dentures should be rinsed after eating to remove food debris and other loose particles trapped between your denture and natural teeth.
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