A
smile can get you anywhere, well almost. Not only can it boost your mood but
also that of people you come into contact with. So, it is important that our
teeth look their best.
If
you want to avoid mammoth dental bills, prevention is better than cure, so it
is important that you take good care of your teeth.
Start with a good tooth brush. Over the years I worked with many
hygienists and dentists who swear by Oral-B. Dental nurse, Tanya van der Merwe,
tells me that at Oralon, the practice where she works, they like the
oscillating and rotating precision clean brush head as it fits the shape of the
tooth and does a good job of cleaning the teeth. The new Oral-B TriZone (prices
start from £49.95 oralb.co.uk) is ideal for those who prefer the shape of a
manual toothbrush or are still using one but want to try an electric brush.
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| Dr Uchenna Okoye |
Of
course, even having the best brushes won’t help the health of your teeth if you
are not using them properly. Dr Uchenna Okoye, who qualified at
the highly-respected Guy’s Hospital London, and is now clinical director of
London Smiling Dental Group and Oral-B’s smile director, says that a lot of a
lot of people do not know how to brush their teeth correctly, which can often
result in plaque build-up and tooth and gum decay.
“Oral-B
have developed a new toothbrush called the TriZone which is fool proof and
simple to use – It doesn’t matter which brushing style is used, the TriZone
will still remove up to 100 per cent more plaque than an ordinary manual toothbrush,”
she adds.
One
of the biggest mistakes people tend to make, according to Dr Okoye, is to brush too hard.
“Generally, people think brushing harder gives teeth a more thorough clean
however, it actually just damages gums and may erode the enamel of the tooth,”
she says.
“You
should also ensure that you change your toothbrush or toothbrush head, every
three months. A worn toothbrush is less effective at removing plaque.
 |
| Oral-B TriZone 5000, £199.99 |
Here
are some of Dr Okoye's tips
for correct brushing:
“Brushing
teeth too quickly is a bad habit that a lot of people tend to do. We should all
be brushing our teeth for at least two minutes twice a day. Brushing your teeth
well takes time, and doing it for at least two minutes will help to eliminate
the build-up of plaque on the teeth.”
“It
is crucial to rinse your toothbrush well. It is common sense to give it a quick
rinse, but it is important to be thorough in order to wash away the bacteria
that have just been removed from your mouth. If you don’t rinse your
toothbrush well, the next time you use it the bacteria will go straight back
inside your mouth and on to your teeth and gums.”
“Skipping
teeth is a common problem people do when brushing. It usually occurs when you
flip your toothbrush to brush the other side of your mouth, which would cause
plaque and bacteria to build up in this area. Once you’ve brushed your
molars at the back of your mouth, make sure you brush right round into the
middle of your mouth before turning the bush around – this will help avoid
missing a tooth at the front.”
By
Daralyn Danns
