Here at Smilessence, we work hard to help our patients enjoy good oral health. We do this by offering dental check-ups, treatments for a range of issues and advice on how best to take good care of the teeth and gums. Having a healthy mouth means that a person looks and feels at their best when it comes to their smile, and it also helps to protect their general health too. This is a guide to how and why all patients should endeavour to safeguard their oral health.

Cleanliness

The dentist in Molesey advises that keeping the teeth and gums clean is of vital importance for good oral health. There are two main ways to do this. The first is to ensure that there is a regular dental hygiene routine at home. This should involve brushing the teeth twice daily using a good fluoride toothpaste. Patients should also floss or use interdental brushes once per day to help remove plaque and food debris that the toothbrushing has missed.

Anyone in any doubt about how best to brush and floss should consult with the dentist in Molesey. We can give specific targeted advice on brushing techniques and the best kinds of brushes, toothpaste and floss or interdental brushes to use. It is very important to get this right, so it is well worth asking for help in perfecting the at home dental routine.

We also recommend that patients come to visit us every six months for a check-up. This should be done even if the patient does not feel that they have any issues with their teeth or gums. It is important because we can spot potential problems like cavities or the early stages of gum disease when the patient has no awareness of these. This means that they can be resolved with the absolute minimum of fuss and before they have a serious impact on oral health.

Regular check-ups also involve screening for mouth cancer. When mouth cancer is detected at the earliest possible stage, it is very treatable and can be stopped in its tracks. This means that the integrity of the teeth and gums can be preserved, and the cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body and threatening the general health of the patient.

General check-ups also include a professional clean from the dentist or hygienist. This allows us to remove any plaque that has resisted at home brushing and help to maintain healthy teeth and gums as well as removing stains.

Ensure the teeth are straight

Any patient who has misaligned teeth should consider the options for straightening. This is because teeth that are overcrowded, protruding or crooked are not only potentially damaging for the confidence of the patient, but they can also contribute to poor oral health. This is because teeth that are not straight are much harder to clean, so are therefore more vulnerable to deterioration.

Replace missing teeth

Missing teeth do not just affect how a person feels about their appearance, they can also threaten their oral health. This is because gaps in the teeth also have gaps where the tooth roots used to be, which impacts on the health and integrity of the jawbone of the patient. We can help to restore this with a choice of options.