MLC Centre Dental enjoys giving patients the skills to keep their natural teeth for life!

 There are many ways people can keep their teeth for life.

Oral Hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth clean in order to prevent dental diseases, such as tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease, both of which can cause tooth loss at any stage of life.   Poor oral hygiene has also been associated with heart disease, diabetes and more recently with some forms of oral cancer and premature delivery and low birth weight pregnancy outcomes.

 

Primarily the aim of good oral hygiene is the efficient, effective and most importantly, the regular removal of plaque from the teeth.

 

What is plaque? Plaque is a sticky film which forms in the mouth and on the teeth and is made up (amongst other things) of the harmful bacteria that cause dental disease.  If plaque is left to accumulate it can become calculus (tartar) which is a calcified version of plaque that also irritates the gums, which also attracts more plaque bacteria to its surface. Plaque is also acidic.

 

Daily Oral Hygiene Routine.

 

Here at MLC Centre Dental we advise our patients to clean teeth with a soft brush twice daily as a basic requirement.  Electric toothbrushes help to access difficult areas and are less traumatic to the gum line.  Tooth brushing should be carried out after breakfast and before bed.  The toothbrush should be aimed very gently at the gum line so that the teeth as well and the gums are kept clean.

 

In addition to this, cleaning in between the teeth is essential part of the oral hygiene routine in preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease.  This is an area that the toothbrush cannot get to, even an electric brush.  Flossing or interdental brushes/sticks can be used here.  Your dental health professional can advise and instruct you on this if you are unsure.

 

Non Alcoholic Mouthwashes may also be used as an adjunct to brushing and flossing. 

Antimicrobial mouth rinses help to reduce the bacteria count and inhibit the activity of plaque bacteria which cause periodontal disease.  However chemical plaque control cannot replace the mechanical removal of plaque (i.e. brushing and flossing.) and should be considered as an additional cleaning method along with brushing with either a manual or electric tooth brush. 

Fluoride mouth rinses help to reduce and prevent tooth decay.  Studies have shown that using a Fluoride rinse in addition to Fluoride tooth paste provides more protection against tooth decay than Fluoride tooth paste alone.  Fluoride rinses are not suitable for children under six years of age in case of continued accidental ingestion.

 

Professional Care.

 

In addition to a good oral hygiene routine at home, there is also a need for professional also.  This generally involves 6 monthly checks with a Dentist and professional regular cleaning by a Dental Hygienist.  This cleaning is recommended to remove the calculus and plaque deposits that may develop, despite good oral hygiene, in areas of the mouth that are hard to access.  Here at our Sydney CBD practice we can also advise on oral hygiene techniques tailored to the individual, to make the home care as effective and preventative as possible.

 

So it can be seen that practicing good oral hygiene is quite simple and can help to prevent dental diseases.

 

For more information on oral hygiene and preventative care please visit:

http://www.mlccentredental.com.au

 

Dr Adam Alford graduated from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 2000 with honors. Dr Alford has worked extensively in Cosmetic and Implant practices in Australia and the UK. He has a special interest in cosmetics and tooth whitening. Dr Alford is the author of the article and he maintains a General Dental, Cosmetic and Implant Dental Surgery in Sydney CBD http://www.mlccentredental.com.au Webmasters are free to reprint this article provided that it is not edited, the author’s information is included, and the links are included as live links. To find out more about cosmetic dentistry please view http://www.mlccentredental.com.au/cosmetic-dentistry.php . To find out more about Tooth Whitening please view http://www.mlccentredental.com.au/tooth-whitening.php

 

 

 

To find out more information about preventative dental please view http://www.mlccentredental.com.au/preventative.php

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Dental Implants Sydney, dentist CBD, MLC Centre Dental, Oral Hygiene, Sydney Dentist CBD

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