Top tips for good children’s oral hygiene

By ensuring that you teach your children the fundamentals of good oral hygiene you can ensure that they have the skills to maintain their teeth and gums for years to come.

Here at West Wickham Dental Practice we have some top tips to ensure you can set your children up for a lifetime of good oral health

Make brushing fun

There is nothing worse than a daily battle to get your children to brush their teeth. Avoid the conflict by making brushing fun. Allow your children to pick their own toothbrush, many now include their favourite TV and film characters. You can also brush along to a favourite song or download apps that will display pictures as they brush for two minutes. By getting them involved and excited by the process, children will want to brush their teeth.

• Set an example

If you children see you taking care of your oral health, they will begin to understand the importance of oral hygiene. By brushing along with them or allowing them to help you brush your teeth you can make tooth brushing a fun family time. You can also use disclosing tablets to show areas that have been missed while brushing, by including yourself in this you will able to show that everyone misses sometimes, but with proper brushing techniques it is possible to minimise the risk of decay.

• Attend for regular dental appointments

It is important that children start attending for appointments with their parents as soon as their teeth come through. This will allow them to get used to the unfamiliar sights, smells and sounds in the dental practice. By attending from a young age, it helps to reduce the fear so often associated with the dentist.

Technique for Tooth brushing

• Brush twice a day – once in the morning and once before bedtime
• Use a small headed, soft brush
• Apply only a smear of toothpaste
• Create a habit – always brush teeth in the same order to ensure that no tooth is forgotten
• Remember the gum line
• Be gentle – brush using only a slight pressure

If you would like to start your children on the path to a lifetime of good oral hygiene call West Wickham Dental Practice today on 0208 776 1188 to book a consultation.

Keep your teeth healthy and happy this Christmas

Tis the season ….. for good oral hygiene!

In the run up to Christmas West Wickham Dental Practice will be open as normal until 24/12…. Should you have any problems with your teeth in the run up to Christmas, please ring the surgery by 9.30am as we have a number of emergency appointments available each day and we will endeavour to get you seen as soon as possible.

West Wickham Dental Practice will be closed for Christmas from the 25^th to the 28^th inclusive and will reopen for half days in the afternoon on the 29^th and 31^st and half day morning on the 30^th. If you should you have a dental emergency out of hours, please call the practice on 0208 776 1188 and the answer phone message will give you details on how to contact the dentist for the out of hours emergency service.

With Christmas almost upon us this is the perfect time to remind all our patients how best to enjoy the festive food and drink and look after your dental health. Here at West Wickham Dental Practice we have come up with our top tips to ensure that your teeth stay in tip top condition this festive season.

• During the festive period try to brush your teeth three times a day using a fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth using inter-dental aids such as inter-dental brushes, floss or tape. This will help to ensure that you do not develop any food traps which if left can lead to infection.

• Why not treat yourself to a new toothbrush at the start of December. Toothbrushes should be changed every 3-4 months and this will ensure that you are getting the most effective clean possible when you brush your teeth. An electric toothbrush provides more effective cleaning than manual ones, maybe its time to ask Santa for one.

• With all the sweet treats around do not forget to include fruit and vegetables in your diet these will help to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need and help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

• With so much food available it can become easy to just graze all day. To help your teeth and general health aim to eat 3 meals a day plus no more than two snacks. If you do snack stick to crudities and nuts rather than sweets and chocolates. Nuts provide a great source of calcium and vitamin D which have been shown to help improve your dental health.

• Where ever possible try to enjoy your sugary treats after your meals. Dried fruits are also high in sugar and can get stuck to your teeth so try to have mince pies, Christmas pudding and Christmas cake after a meal to. This is because we produce more saliva when we are eating which helps neutralise the acids produced by bacteria in the mouth and it also helps to rinse away food particles and sugary substances.

• Red wine can stain teeth so if you don’t mind which you drink try to stick to white wine this Christmas. Cheese is a great accompaniment for wine as it contains calcium and helps to combat the damaging effects of acid.

All the team at West Wickham Dental Practice would like to wish our patients a happy and hopefully trouble free festive period, but should you have any problems do not hesitate to contact the surgery on 0208 776 1188.