Download Preventative Care - Reedyford Dental Centre

Preventative Care
Our mouths are the gateway to the rest of the body. An unhealthy mouth can affect general
health, so it is important to look after it carefully.
Prevention involves avoiding a problem starting in the first place or, if something is
happening, then stopping it becoming a more serious issue. We need healthy mouths in
order to eat, speak clearly, smile and feel confident about ourselves. We should try to protect
ourselves from such conditions as tooth decay , gum disease , dental erosion , dental
injuries and oral cancer . We need to know what we could do to help ourselves, as well as
how professionals can help us. If you have a dry mouth, suffer from a serious illness
(such as diabetes) or are on prescribed medication, then you may be at additional risk of
having dental problems. Please discuss this with your dentist.
Self-care
Diet & nutrition: Good nutrition is a foundation for good health. Fresh whole fruit, vegetables,
pulses, grains and cereals are an essential for a well-balanced diet.
Tooth decay
Tooth decay causes cavities and results from frequent consumption of sugars in foods and
drinks. Sugar-sweetened foods and drinks should be avoided between meals and especially
at bedtime. These include:- sweets, biscuits, rusks, pastries, cakes, sweetened cereals,
sweet spreads (e.g. honey, jam), sweetened drinks, fruit juices, canned drinks, sports drinks.
Alternative tooth-friendly snacks could include:- fruit, cheese, savoury snacks, unsalted nuts
(for older children), milk, yoghurt and very well diluted fruit juices.
Dental erosion
Dental erosion is caused by acids that dissolve away surface enamel from the teeth. It can
result from frequent intake of acidic drinks (e.g. cola drinks, canned drinks, citrus, sports
drinks, alcopops) or regular quantities of oranges, grapefruit and apples. These are best
restricted to mealtimes, where possible. Repeated vomiting, hiatus hernia and reflux bring
acid up from the stomach and can also cause erosion. Rinse daily for 2 minutes with an
alcohol-free fluoride mouthwash. Avoid brushing for one hour after having acidic foods or
drinks, or vomiting as this could wear away enamel softened by acid and make the erosion
worse.
Oral hygiene: Careful and effective daily cleaning with a manual or powered toothbrush can
help to control plaque . Other aids, such as floss and interdental brushes can be highly
effective, but are best used after professional advice. Fluoride toothpaste helps to prevent
decay. It is important to supervise cleaning for infants and young children, as well as for
older people who may have special needs and not be able to do this effectively alone. After
brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, just spitting out is preferable to rinsing.
Denture care: Full dentures should be removed and cleaned every night. Partial dentures
should be cleaned after every meal. Dentures need to be replaced when they are damaged,
ill-fitting or worn out.
Fluoride in toothpaste helps to prevent decay. Babies should only use a smear of toothpaste
and small children a pea-sized quantity. Ask your dentist which fluoride toothpaste is best for
your child. Fluoride toothpaste can be obtained at lower concentrations for children. Fluoride
is also available as a daily mouthwash for home use for children aged over 6 years and
adults. The fluoride rinse should be used at a different time to brushing.
Avoid smoking as it represents a risk to general health. Smoking and tobacco chewing stains
teeth, delays healing, causes gum disease as well as other soft tissue changes in the mouth,
which can lead to oral cancer.
Avoid excess alcohol consumption as this also affects overall health. It increases the risk of
injury (including to the face and mouth) and also of mouth cancer.
Avoid oral cosmetic jewellery (studs and pins) since these may damage the mouth,
increasing the risk of fractured teeth as well creating chronic ulcers.
Wear a well-fitting mouth guard if involved with contact sports (e.g. hockey, ice hockey,
rugby, boxing).
Oral self-examination is an important aspect of care. It is important to take responsibility for
checking in children's mouths as well as helping those with special needs and some older
people.
A ttend for dental checks . This is important for everyone, including people with no natural
teeth of their own, who may only have full dentures. The dental team are there to support
you in your day-to-day preventive care.
Professional dental care:
The dental team includes:- the dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist and dental nurse.
They can give advice and offer appropriate treatment.
For children: the dentist can check the developing teeth, to make sure that all is well and
make referrals, where needed, for instance to an orthodontist to have the teeth straightened.
To help prevent decay, fissure sealants (a plastic coating) may be applied to the chewing
surfaces of vulnerable back teeth, or fluoride may be painted on as a varnish. For adults with
particularly high rates of tooth decay, a dentist may also prescribe a toothpaste with higher
amounts of fluoride than those available ‘over the counter’.
For people engaged in contact sports, an imprint of the teeth can be taken to ensure that a
mouth guard is well-fitting.
Gum disease is more likely to occur where there are places in the mouth that are hard to
clean. The dental team may offer you a thorough professional clean and help by showing
you how to clean more effectively
The dentist can check the soft tissues for oral cancer and other problems. The dental team
can also explain about any harmful effects of prescribed medication (e.g. d ry mouth and
explain what you can do to help yourself.
Other agencies:
There are other people in the community who can provide dental advice and support
including health visitors, schools and district nurses. Brushing programmes may be active in
local schools and fluoride may be provided through milk fluoridation programmes. In some
communities, fluoride is present in the local water supply at or around 1 part per million
which helps to prevent decay. Alternatively, in some countries, fluoride is available in salt,
which also provides some preventive benefits.