Diet is the key – the good and the clean

So here is the recipe for making the teeth, gums, patient and the dentist happy for life!

Avoid regular eating of sugars, especially sticky varieties. To recognize a sugar the chemical name ends in “ose”. For example sucrose, lactose, fructose, glucose. Some people need sugar because they are a diabetic; however, a less sticky form is better from a decay point of view.

Avoid giving sweets to children. They will not go without! Giving sweets to very young children is training them to think that sweets are a large part of a normal diet. Parents may be inadvertently training their children not to try other healthier foods. The new adult teeth then won’t stand a chance. Besides who wants to cause suffering in children. Ideally avoid giving sweets to young children as long as possible (hopefully past the age of five!). (See Children’s Dentistry).

Keep away from soft drinks. They are acidic and have sugars. Even the zero sugar drinks are acidic. Some people have been known to replace water with soft drinks in their diets. Water is pretty good stuff and its free (almost). This type of diet not only can ruin the mouth but can also lead to diabetes, obesity and other health issues.

Reduce caffeine intake. This has been a phenomenon of recent times with the advent of high caffeine soft drinks. There has been a marked increase in decay in young people. There have also been cases of severe heart palpitations. The high intake of caffeine is not healthy both medically and dentally.

Clean teeth correctly and regularly. No bacteria means no decay or gum disease or even stains. Aim the bristles and head of the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to where the gum meets the tooth. Press then firmly wipe away from the gum, so to force the bristles between the teeth. Wipe slowly and firmly as the bacteria form a sticky mass on the tooth’s surface. Do not worry if they bleed! (see Bleeding Gums when you Brush). With continual regular, deliberate, cleaning the cause of the bleeding gums, the bacteria, will be reduced greatly. Slow down. It is better to clean your teeth properly once a day than three times a day kidding yourself. In fact incorrect cleaning pushes more bacteria into the gums & between the teeth. This we will go into detail in a future blog, together with flossing and other types of dental hygiene.

Visit Seymour Dental ideally every six months.
For regular scale and cleans. You can’t clean every spot in the mouth. Just having regular cleans reduces the incidence of decay and gum disease. Fluoride treatments also can chemical repair very early changes in the enamel caused by decay. (See Treatment of Early Decay). Reducing the susceptibility of teeth can be achieved by correcting any tooth shape problems. Deep grooves in teeth that are difficult to clean and are retaining food can be sealed with sealant materials. Obviously placing fillings where there is existing decay. This will also prevent food collecting and causing problems in the adjacent teeth. Even smoothing a rough filling will help. The aim is to make the mouth as self cleaning as possible. (See Dentistry).

We all want happy mouths for life!