Harbour Dental Delivering Better Oral Health

We are often asked how we can best prevent dental decay, gum disease, oral carcinoma etc so we have put together this advice sheet help you make sensible decisions based on the best available scientific evidence. There are several folders containing detailed advice on the topics below in the waiting rooms in our practice. Should you be suffering from more than a low level of tooth decay or gum disease your practitioner will advise you of further treatments and procedures that we will carry out to improve your oral health. This treatment will be provided by our whole dental team – Dentists, Therapists, Hygienists and our Oral Health Educator.

1. Preventing decay


•  0-3 years
  Breast feed wherever possible.
  From 6 months introduce a cup and from 1 year old bottle drinking should be discouraged.
  Sugar should not to be added to weaning foods.
  Parents should brush teeth twice daily as soon as they begin to erupt.
  Only a small, pea sized amount of toothpaste should be used of at least 1,000 ppm fluoride.
  Sugar free medicines recommended.
  The frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be reduced and when consumed limited to mealtimes. Sugars in food or drink should not to be consumed more than 4 times daily.
  


• 3-6 years
  Brush last thing at night and one other time
  Brushing should be supervised and checked by an adult
  Use a pea sized amount of toothpaste containing between 1,350 and 1,500 ppm fluoride
  Spit after brushing DON’T rinse
  The frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be reduced and when consumed limited to mealtimes. Sugars in food or drink should not to be consumed more than 4 times daily.
  


• All children and adults
  Brush twice daily last thing at night and on one other occasion
  Use fluoridated toothpaste 1350ppm and above
  Spit after brushing DON’T rinse
  The frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be reduced and when consumed limited to mealtimes. Sugars in food or drink should not to be consumed more than 4 times daily.




2. Preventing Gum disease

All adolescents and adults
• Brush teeth systematically twice daily with either
  1. a manual brush with a small head with rounded filaments a compact angled arrangement of long and short filaments and a comfortable handle
  
  Or
  
  2. a powered toothbrush with an oscillating/rotating head
• Don’t smoke
•  Use a toothpaste containing triclosan with copolymer or triclosan with zinc citrate
• Toothpastes containing stannous fluoride may reduce gum disease
• Clean interdentally using interdental brushes or floss
• Maintain good dietary practice in line with The Balance of Good Health document published by the Department of Health.


3. Preventing Oral carcinoma
   • Don’t smoke
   • Don’t use smokeless tobacco ( Paan, chewing tobacco, gutkha)
   • Reduce alcohol consumption to moderate levels
   • Maintain good dietary practice in line with The Balance of Good Health document published by the Department of Health.
   • Increase fruit and vegetable intake to at least 5 portions daily.