Dental Hygiene Instructions and Prevention tips from your Dentist
Proper oral hygiene on a daily basis is the foundation of good oral health. Good oral hygiene can improve your oral and overall health. Proper oral hygiene habits are an inexpensive and convenient way of keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
Your local family dentists at Heritage Dental Group, are committed to providing you with the proper oral hygiene instructions tailored according to your needs. It is never too late to start on good oral health habits.
PREVENTATIVE DENTAL CARE
At Heritage Dental Group, we believe Prevention is better than Cure. We are a family-owned business and provide personalized dental care for you and your family in Indooroopilly and surrounding Brisbane western suburbs. We believe proper brushing and flossing techniques, healthy diet and regular visits to the dentist are the pillars of good oral health.
COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL CHECKUP AND PROFESSIONAL DENTAL CLEAN
As part of proper dental hygiene and prevention, we recommend you visit the dentist every 6-12 months for a regular check-up and scale & clean. No matter how well you are brushing your teeth, tartar or calculus will build up on your teeth which can only be removed by your experienced professional dentist. Our dentist at Heritage Dental Group will thoroughly clean your teeth, polish and floss. The dentist will also assess your teeth and gums and give you brushing and flossing instruction to improve your oral health at home. These regular visits help your dentist to track your oral health and if there are any developing dental issues, fix them on time.
BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL SCALE & CLEAN FROM YOUR DENTIST
- Preventative care is cheaper – As we all know it is cheaper to prevent dental problems then to treat it. Regular dental check-up and scale and clean appointments helps in tracking your oral health and preventing any dental problems.
- Healthy teeth and gums – Plaque and bacteria on your teeth contains bacteria that can cause gums to recede and decay in teeth. Removing this tartar build up reduces your risk of gum disease and decay.
- Fresh Breath – Scale and clean removes plaque build ups from your teeth, as your teeth feels clean your breath will feel fresh too.
- Protects your general health – Studies have shown that gum disease is related to many health problems like diabetes, heart disease etc. Getting your teeth cleaned professionally on a regular basis will reduce your risk of gum disease.
- Cleaner brighter teeth – Over time, calculus build up can stain your teeth and they look yellow. A professional scale & clean and polish from your dentist will give you a brighter healthy smile.
PROPER BRUSHING & FLOSSING TIPS
HOW TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH PROPERLY?
Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each is just not enough. You need to do it properly to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Your toothbrush cannot clean 100% of your teeth surfaces that means you need floss to clean in- between your teeth. Proper flossing removes plaque and food particles in places where a toothbrush cannot easily reach — under the gum line and between your teeth. As plaque build-up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, daily flossing is highly recommended by your dentist.
- Use a soft bristle toothbrush.
- Always brush gently in circular motion tilting your toothbrush at 45-degree angle towards the gums.
- Gently brush inside, outside and chewing surfaces of the teeth.
- Brush gently and softly, if you apply too much pressure while brushing, this can cause your gums to recede and can damage the white tooth enamel.
- once finished brushing, spit out the excess toothpaste but do not rinse your mouth with water. This leaves a thin layer of toothpaste on your teeth which protects your teeth.
- Remember to brush your tongue. Brushing and cleaning the tongue can reduce the bacteria present which can help with bad breath known as Halitosis.
- Replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head on the electric toothbrush every 3 months.
- Brush at least for 2 minutes twice a day.
Video from Australian Dental Association
FLOSSING TIPS:
- Starting with about 18 inches/45 cm of floss, wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two 3-5 cm of floss to work with
- Holding the floss in-between your thumbs and index fingers, slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth.
- Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gum line.
- Never snap or force the floss, as this may cut or bruise delicate gum tissue.
- Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth.
- To remove the floss, use the same back-and-forth motion to bring the floss up and away from the teeth
Flossing tips video from Australian Dental Association
When is the best time to clean in between your teeth- before?
It does not matter when you do it. Choose a time of the day when you can spare a couple of minutes for flossing. Brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste and then flossing is what our dentists recommend. Children need to clean between their teeth too, start as soon as your child has two teeth that touch. Because cleaning between teeth demands more manual dexterity than very young children have, children are not usually able to do a thorough job on their own until age 10 or 11.
FISSURE SEALANTS – PREVENTATIVE DENTAL TREATMENT
WHAT IS A FISSURE SEALANT?
Fissure sealants are safe and painless way of protecting adult and kid’s teeth from tooth decay. It is a plastic coating which covers the chewing surfaces of the back adult teeth. The sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the teeth.
Sealants used in conjunction with a comprehensive dental care routine that includes proper brushing, flossing, fluoride treatments and a healthy diet, helps maintain dental health. While brushing and flossing are critical components of any dental health regimen, sealants provide additional protection for the grooves and pits of the teeth.
Our dentists recommend this preventative procedure for both adults and kids to keep your smile cavity free for life.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FISSURE SEALANT APPOINTMENT?
Fissure sealant procedure is quick and painless and usually takes few minutes per tooth. There is no need for anesthetic and usually requires no drilling.
Your dentist will:
- clean and dry the tooth and surrounding teeth.
- prepare the tooth surface so that the sealant bonds well.
- flow in liquid sealant, which will flow into the deep grooves and pits.
- harden the sealant with a strong light.
- check your bite and polish off any excess sealant.
BENEFITS OF DENTAL FISSURE SEALANTS:
- Provide extra protection from decay.
- Help protect the permanent or adult 6-year-old and 12-year-old molars from decay if they are applied soon after the teeth appear in the mouth.
- Helps protect the area where it’s hard to clean with deep groves in back adult teeth.
- Make the teeth easier to clean.
- Last for many years
HOW MUCH FISSURE SEALANTS COST?
Fissure sealants cost around $55 per tooth.
See one of our experienced Indooroopilly Dentists.
Contact our team on 38783384 for more information on Dental Treatments.