It's National Smile Month, so we've enlisted the help of Dr. Graham Tinkler, Invisalign dentist of the Clear Brace Centre, Middlesex, to help share all the information we need to keep our smiles and teeth healthy.
Health on Female First
Make sure that you have a megawatt smile with his help.
How best can we look after our smiles?
“There are lots you can do outside of the dental surgery, primarily flossing and brushing. Flossing in particular is often overlooked. The Americans seem to be great at it, but we seem to be a bit slow on the uptake. It’s not something I used to do until I went to dental school myself and now I try to pass that onto my patients.
When it comes to brushing use a massaging action to clean both teeth and gums. By gently forcing the bristles of your toothbrush in-between your teeth, you can more effectively remove stains from those hard to reach places.
Poor attendance for dental health checkups prevents the opportunity for early detection of any problems such as decay, or clenching and grinding. Regular visits to the dentist and hygienist are essential to maintain, healthy youthful looking teeth.
Straightening teeth is a great way to look after your teeth as it can correct your bite and consequently reduce tooth wear and prevent the ageing. It is also easier to maintain the appearance of straight teeth, as they are easier to clean, which in turn reduces the risk of developing gum problems. Invisalign is the virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth and help boost your confidence. It is a comfortable alternative to metal braces as there are no metal brackets or wires and the aligners do not affect your lifestyle. They are virtually invisible and completely removable, so you can maintain your dental hygiene as usual, taking them out to eat and drink, or for special occasions.”
What foods should we completely avoid to keep our smiles at their best?
“In terms of sweet foods, as long as you brush your teeth regularly and floss then you can keep decay at bay; but you should avoid eating too many sugary foods on a regular basis. There are certain foods that stain the teeth, for example tea, coffee and red wine. That’s where whitening is great because you can carry on eating and drinking these things, and just get a top up where necessary to cancel the visible effects.”
Which foods would you recommend eating more of?
“Fruit because it’s good for you, but citrus fruit can be very acidic and cause erosion therefore having a negative effect on the teeth. Everything should be eaten in moderation. Chewing sugar free gum is good as it fights dental erosion by stimulating the production of saliva which protects the teeth. One thing you have to be careful of is drinking orange juice in the morning and brushing your teeth – the citric acid softens the enamel and may cause it to wear away. The order in which you do things is very important, another watch out is not having sweet things before going to bed.
Many studies cite sugar free cranberry juice as a means of preventing gum disease. It stops bacteria from settling on your gums and as it contains a significant amount of calcium, it helps maintain the healthy structure of your teeth.”
What's more important, flossing or using mouthwash?
“Flossing. But you can now get electric flossing aids that allow you to floss and use mouthwash all at the same time – it’s called air-flossing. The technique is to use the air floss with your normal mouthwash, placing the nozzle between each tooth and pressing a button. It fires a blast of mouthwash over your teeth and gums, pulling anything out from between your teeth, with the same result as flossing. The mouthwash is injected around the gums, which when using mouthwash alone it does not really do. Interdental brushes are great as they do the same job as floss, but work on the teeth at the back of your mouth too, which can sometimes be hard to reach.”
Any other dental health tips?
“Avoid smoking as this is bad for your gums. The gums and bones around the teeth usually suffer. Having the straightest and whitest teeth means nothing if the gums and bones around them are of no use to you. Poor attendance for dental health checkups prevents the opportunity for early detection of any problems such as decay, or clenching and grinding. Regular visits to the dentist and hygienist are essential to maintain, healthy youthful looking teeth.”
Invisalign is the virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth and help boost your confidence, for more information visit www.invisalign.co.uk.