Forming Healthy Oral Habits Easily

People spend a majority of their days outside the home for either work or school, and neglect the state of their dental health for most of that time. Dentists always tell their patients that brushing twice a day is enough, but the fact of the matter is that dental care is a 24-hour responsibility. Patients should always be conscious of the state of their teeth regardless of where they are during the day.

Now, no one is saying that patients should constantly be thinking about brushing their teeth, but they should adopt a set of habits that encourages dental health. Cultivating these habits should begin at home where there is more control, slowly expanding to outside areas in small increments.

Rabbit Food

The first thing patients can do – as cliché as it sounds – is eat healthy. Most of the food that mainstream nutritionists consider as ‘healthy’ contains fewer sugars, posing a smaller threat to teeth. The best time to apply this strategy is when patients are young; it is easier to build good habits without having to break down old and bad ones first.

Running along the same line of thought, another good habit is to begin including fruits and dairy in a packed lunch. The fruit will satisfy any cravings for sweets, and the milk will help keep teeth stay healthy and strong. A carton of milk or some string cheese should do the job quite nicely.

Group Brushing

The strongest form of habit reinforcement, however, is still repetition, which is difficult to keep up with. Fortunately, there is one way patients can ensure that they maintain the daily ritual of taking care of their teeth – doing it in a group. People are more likely to do something when everyone else is doing it, and having more people involved will include more heads to remember it as well.

There is no need for patients to remember dental hygiene as long as they build the right habits that encourage dental health. If you want to get more helpful advice about how to improve your oral health, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Our staff is more than happy to set an appointment and answer any questions you might have.

Student Life Could be Bad for Teeth

University life may be some of the most memorable years for young adults, but it might also be one of the most dangerous times for your teeth. All the late nights spent at the bars, cafes, and other hangout places could be causing huge dental problems for students, a fellow dentist in Sunderland warns.

All Those Crazy Nights

Late nights and too much alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks that help you stay awake could be ruining your teeth. This, along with the round-the-clock party attitude of young people and their tendency to forego proper dental care, should definitely be a concern not just for the students, but their families, as well.

Dr. Ken Harris, who runs a cosmetic dental practice in Sunderland and Newcastle, explains that young people who are leaving home for the first time to go to uni are inevitably going to embrace a party lifestyle.

When you party or stay up late, dehydration will likely follow, which then reduces saliva production. Not enough saliva, which protects teeth, can put you at risk of acid damage. The energy drinks you take to keep you up, even the sugar-free varieties, have certain amounts of acid in the fizz that can soften the enamel. Brush the teeth at the wrong time and you could be wearing down your teeth quicker.

Health Should Always be a Priority

We understand the concern of Dr. Harris, as we also advocate all our patients—be they adults or young adults, students or professionals—to practise good oral habits. For the problems affecting uni students, we see a two-part solution. First is for parents to raise these issues to their children who may be leaving home for university. Second is that students should never compromise their health for socialising.

A few tips if you simply cannot avoid staying up at night:

– Wait a few hours after having fizzy or sugary drinks before brushing. Tooth enamel softened by the sugary drinks could be damaged if you brush immediately.

– Stay hydrated not only for dental, but your overall health. More than saliva production, drinking water after having a fizzy drink can wash down the sugar that bacteria in the mouth feed on.

– If you are experiencing a killer hangover and you need to vomit, make sure to rinse your mouth with water but do not brush immediately.

– Do not forget to visit your dentist and always practise good dental habits.

Student life is hard, but that does not mean you should make it hard on your teeth, too. Book an appointment today with us today and keep your teeth healthy and protected.

Tooth Decay Crisis for British Kids: What is Causing It?

Tooth decay is one of the serious health issues for children in the UK. As a matter of fact, the 2013 Children’s Dental Health Survey for England, Wales and Northern Ireland revealed that around 46% of 15-year-olds had tooth decay. In addition, about half of eight-year-olds and a third of five-year-olds have dental caries in their milk teeth.

Culprits of Tooth Decay in Kids

Diet

Researchers noted that the lack of proper diet is the main cause of rising cases of tooth decay in early childhood. Parents give sweets, juices, fizzy drinks and other sugary substances to their kids above the prescribed amounts. That, and the lack of information on proper diet, cause kids to lose their milk teeth early as a result.

Dentophobia

Fear of the dentist is another culprit of tooth decay. The National Heat Service noted that one in four people dreaded a visit to the dentist. Some people miss dental appointments for years due to perceived pain from dental instruments and treatments. Since their teeth lack proper oral care, they become more susceptible to dental caries and other oral diseases.

Differences in income

Researchers blame the high incidence of tooth decay to differences in income as well. Kids from families with lower financial capacities will more likely suffer from tooth decay. The lack of means affects their access to quality dental care.

A survey by Health and Social Care Information Centre revealed that five-year-olds from more deprived families had higher cases of tooth decay (41%) compared to less deprived families (29%).

Neglect

Among all the causes cited by researchers, they found neglect as the proximate cause. Some parents do not make the effort to know the recommended sugar intake and maintain the oral health of their kids. In fact, some researchers cited that the reason kids nowadays have multiple teeth extractions is because parents delay dental appointments until problems get obviously worse.

Solving the crisis

Realising these issues, dentists encourage parents to supervise oral hygiene and allay their kids’ fears of the dentist early. They should demonstrate or brush the teeth themselves until kids reach age 6-7. In addition, they should give less or no sugary food and drinks to their kids. Dental appointments are strongly encouraged as soon as teeth start to show.

Tooth decay of kids in the UK is now a cause for national concern. Do not let your kid become a statistic. At Bounty Road Dental Practice, we can help save your kid from the scourge of dental caries. We apply safe and almost painless dental treatments to help maintain and improve your child’s teeth. Click here for more information about our dental treatments.

Today’s Advice: You Must Not Delay Root Canal Therapy

Many people are apprehensive about visiting the dentist for a regular examination. Even more so once they learn they need to undergo a treatment for an existing dental problem. This anxiety is the reason many patients delay treatment.

While some dental interventions can wait, others, such as a root canal, need urgent attention. If your dentist recently informed you that you need this procedure, you must take action. Otherwise, it can lead to harmful consequences.

The infection will spread

In most cases, root canal therapy is required due to the infection of the tooth’s nerve tissue or pulp. Generally, it is the result of a deep decay or a fracture. Once the infection takes hold, the bacteria break down the tissue, slowly killing it. This process does not stop or reverse unless a dentist performs the necessary treatment and removes the infected nerve. Otherwise, the infection will continue to spread and damage the tooth.

The pain will be unbearable

The infection causes a lot of pain, and for some, it can be debilitating. As the infection worsens, the level of pain only increases, especially when abscess has started to form at the tooth’s root. One of the purposes of removing the infected nerve is to relieve the pain, allowing the patient to bite and chew normally again.

You may be at risk for heart disease and stroke

Sometimes the pain goes away on its own; it does not mean the underlying problems are gone. When pus-filled abscess begins to develop, this means the infection has significantly worsened. Extreme cases can lead to a systemic inflammation, at which point you become at risk for heart disease and stroke.

Considering its capacity to save your tooth and restore its functionality, we advise you to undergo root canal treatment as soon as possible. Contact Bounty Road Dental Practice today so we can set an appointment for you.

Training Your Child to Become a Good Brusher

A child’s character, skills and inclinations start to show early; the same can be said about their habits. To illustrate, teaching your child the pleasures of reading encourages them to grow up with a love for books and the written word. By training your child to see the good in the others all the time, they will grow up kind and giving.

Invariably, teaching your child good oral habits early on will also lead to them growing up with a better sense of hygiene and—genes not withstanding—a more beautiful smile. Bounty Road Dental Practice, Basingstoke’s oldest dental practice, shares tips on how parents can help their child be better brushers.

Start Even Before the Teeth have Erupted

Yes, you read that right and yes, it is all okay. You should already be wiping their baby gums and cheeks with a soft and moistened washcloth long before their first tooth even erupts. Do this after feeding to remove plaque and excess milk or formula.

Practicing this will get your baby used to oral stimulation. Many parents take this for granted and expect a toddler to adapt to the strange and new feeling of the bristles against their teeth once there are enough teeth. This will be helpful once you introduce to the child toothbrush later on.

Help Them Brush

Once the little ones learn how to use their toothbrushes and are familiar enough with the routine, teach them how to do it properly. Chances are, if you start out early and teach them well, the children will enjoy brushing their teeth and even chew on the toothbrush, causing the bristles to splay.

It helps to have two toothbrushes for them and use the second toothbrush to do a thorough brushing when they are done doing it on their own. We recommend parents to help their children with brushing until they are about 6-8 years old because not all kids have the manual dexterity to do a good job alone.

Give Them Flavours

Children enjoy flavours. The right toothpaste flavours will not only increase their interest in the good habit of regular brushing, but will also make them look forward to brush time.

As the oldest dental practitioner in Basingstoke, we want the best for you. We want your children to grow up with a healthy set of teeth and gums, as this is a valuable asset for everyone. For more information, advice and state-of-the-art dentistry, contact us today.

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